OXNARD, Calif. -- After a successful workout on Friday morning, the Cowboys are expected to sign veteran offensive lineman La'el Collins, who will return for another stint in Dallas.
Collins announced his imminent return on social media, with a post saying "I'm back" and "Geaux Time!"
The deal is not official yet, but is expected to be completed by Saturday. In order to officially bring Collins on, the Cowboys will have to make a corresponding roster move which has yet to be determined.
Collins, 32, last played in 2022 for the Cincinnati Bengals where he started all 15 games at right tackle. In Week 16 of that season, he suffered a torn ACL and MCL injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season and put him on PUP in 2023 before the Bengals released him in September of that year.
The former undrafted free agent out of LSU was a starter at right tackle for the Cowboys from 2015-21, part of one of the most iconic Cowboys offensive lines in recent history which featured the likes of Tyron Smith, Zack Martin and Travis Frederick amongst others.
Collins has been no stranger to the Star recently, as he attended the retirement ceremonies of two of both Smith and Martin this offseason. On his trips to Frisco, he also got to reunite with his quarterback and close friend, Dak Prescott. There may not be anyone more excited about Collins' return to the Cowboys than Prescott, who was asked about a potential reunion on Thursday.
"I just saw him back there actually," Prescott said with a smile following the team's padded practice. "It was a very joyous reunion. LC is a guy that I love, y'all know that he's a friend well beyond the field... honestly, in those times of those retirement parties or those announcements, I was saying to myself and honestly grabbing Britt [Brown] and people around here that know him and saying: 'Man, I feel like he looks as good as he's ever looked.'"
And now with the Cowboys dealing with a plethora of injuries along the offensive line, and the team as a whole, they turn back to a familiar face in Collins, who is equally as motivated to protect Prescott as he was back in 2015 as a rookie.
"Just to see him again, and just see the excitement, I was holding MJ at the time, and he's telling her: 'I'm going to protect your daddy here, nobody's gonna get him'" Prescott said. "I want to hear that, and I'm sure she does too."
