La'el Collins placed on NFI list due to pre-existing injury

One of the new shiny toys along the Cincinnati Bengals revamped offensive line is dealing with an injury. Former Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins struggled staying healthy in Dallas and is already sidelined for part of training camp in Cincy. The reason? Some back soreness, according to Bengals coach Zac Taylor:

(From Around the NFL)

“Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor told the media Monday that offensive tackle La’el Collins is currently dealing with a back issue that has bothered him in the past. Collins was put on the non-football injury list on Saturday ahead of the start of training camp.”

Other reports assured fans that the injury did not sound too overly serious and that the big fella i expected back and fully healthy by the start of the actual regular season. One team reporter, Marisa Contipelli, added this:

“Taylor said Collins feels good and the team won’t rush him back.”

Smart of the Bengals to take things slowly with Collins, who has a checkered injury history as it is. He missed five games last year and only started in 11 of the Cowboys’ 18 total games a year ago. He also missed the entire 2020 season, and had another year, 2016, where he appeared in only three games.

So the blue-chip free agent O-lineman isn’t the most reliable field presence. But when he does play, Collins produces nearly as well as any RT in the NFL.

La’el Collins explains why move to Cincinnati was ‘perfect fit’

Collins departed from Dallas after several successful seasons and a few at the end marred by injury. However, he’s looking to get his body right and slide directly into a position of major need for the Super Bowl runner-up Cincinnati Bengals.

“There are good fits and perfect fits,” Collins said, via the Bengals website. “I felt like this was the perfect fit from the jump. Obviously my history with Coach Frank [Pollack]. The type of coach he is. His standards are high. He’s the best offensive line coach I’ve been around since I’ve been in the NFL, hands down. And getting back to work with him. And also the players on this team you see and look at the guys around that helped bring this team to where it is. What other team would you want to be part of?”

Can’t blame him. Who wouldn’t want to play with Joe Burrow and the best wide receiver group in the NFL (and it’s not particularly close). Lest we forget Joe Mixon, one of the strongest runners in the league who will finally have a solid group of blockers paving the way for him.