FRISCO, TEXAS — The Dallas Cowboys are bringing in former offensive tackle La'el Collins and former linebacker Damien Wilson to workouts on Tuesday as the team looks for depth on the offensive line and linebacker group.
The Cowboys currently have one spot on their practice squad heading into Week 18, so the team is looking to add one last strength before the playoffs in January.
Collins was widely considered a talented first-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, but went undrafted due to his involvement in the investigation into the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend. Collins was never named as a suspect and was only questioned by police, but his draft stock plummeted, allowing the Cowboys to acquire him as a quality undrafted free agent. .
Collins spent seven seasons with the Cowboys, starting 71 games before being allowed to seek a trade in the 2022 offseason. Shortly after, he was released by the team with three years left on his contract.
He spent one season with the Cincinnati Bengals, tearing his ACL in the team's game in Week 16 and requiring an entire offseason of rehabilitation to return to full strength. He started the 2023 season on injured reserve and was released by the Bengals in September.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning that “finding productive offensive linemen is probably the most needed talent in the NFL at this time. You can imagine that,” he said. Rarely available.
Wilson was selected by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft and played in all 64 games over four seasons with the Cowboys, including 22 as a starter.
After his rookie contract expired, he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, starting all 29 games he played in two seasons and winning the Super Bowl in 2019. He then spent one year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, starting all 17 games. – and after one season with the Carolina Panthers, he was released by the Panthers in March of this year.
The team plans to evaluate both options during Tuesday's workout, when both players and members of the Cowboys return to The Star to reunite.
