What a ride it has been for right tackle La’el Collins. He was expected to be a first round draft pick back in the 2015 NFL Draft and one of the top offensive lineman available. Unfortunately, he was surrounded by controversy in an event that had to with the death of his former girlfriend, which ultimately caused him to go un-drafted. The Dallas Cowboys jumped on the chance to snag him as an un-drafted free agent, and Collins and his agent hoped the pairing would pay off in the end. 

Fast forward to today. 

The Cowboys and Collins agreed to a two-year contract extension worth $15.4 million over two years. This extension will also include a $4 million signing bonus. How does that compare to other right tackles? He now becomes the second-highest paid RT in the entire league, behind Ricky Wagner from the Detroit Lions. 

What’s amazing to me is that he’s never played an NFL snap as a right tackle, but he’s getting big time right tackle money. This can only be a result of just how dominant he was in the mini-camps and some of the explosiveness and raw power he has displayed in his short time with the Cowboys. 

Like this for instance:

The Cowboys have what many believe to be the best offensive line in football. Doug Free announced his retirement shortly after the season was over. The Cowboys now believe they found their man to slide in and replace him.