Jerry Jones details Dallas Cowboys plans at tackle; has COVID hopes for Randy Gregory
Jerry Jones said his Dallas Cowboys will go with former Texas Tech standout Terence Steele at right tackle in place of the suspended La’el Collins against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
The Cowboys opted for Steele over veteran free-agent signee Ty Nsekhe.
Steele didn’t not fair well as a undrafted free agent in 2020 when he was forced to start 14 games with Collins and left tackle Tyron Smith sidelined for much of last season.
The Cowboys (0-1) say Steele has improved a lot over the offseason, but they also don’t plan to let him fend for himself against the Chargers’ (1-0) standout defensive end Joey Bosa.
“He’ll do a good job out there and we’ll give him lots of help,” Jones said on his radio show on 105.3 The Fan.
The Cowboys didn’t consider moving right guard Zack Martin out to right tackle because the team is best served with Martin at guard, Jones said.
The Cowboys are just happy to have Martin back after he missed the season opener while on the NFL’s COVID-19 list. Jones and the Cowboys are hoping they can avoid a player missing a game this week due to COVID-19 protocols, however, defensive end Randy Gregory was placed on the COVID-19 list on Monday.
Gregory is vaccinated and is “not experiencing serious symptoms,” Jones said. If Gregory can pass two produce two negative COVID-19 test 24 hours apart he can be cleared and return to the field for Sunday’s 3:25 p.m. game.
“We have our fingers crossed that maybe we can get a quick bout with this,” Jones said.
Cowboys to make another appeal for Collins’ return
Though the situation remains bleak, Jones said the Cowboys haven’t given up on the possibility of Collins getting his suspension reduced.
He has already lost one appeal, but the team hoping to take it as high as the commissioner’s office for reconsideration.
”You have had the thing aired out pretty good. A mediator has made a decision on it,” Jones said. “We will go to from there and see if he can get any relief from higher in the chain.”
Collins did not fail a drug test. But he was dinged for not adhering to the testing process, including a missing tests and not meeting with counselors, Jones said.
“If that is infringed on, you can get into some pretty heavy areas as far your ability to play,” Jones said. “He is living with an adjudication of five games right now.”
According to CBS Sports, Collins has been tested roughly 10 times a month over the past 18 months, and has not tested positive for marijuana once between Oct. 21, 2020, and Aug. 11, 2021. However, Collins has been cited seven times for “failure to appear” for testing.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 9:29 AM.
