Ron Leary holding out hope for starting opportunity in NFL

Ron Leary remains the odd man out of the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line unit.

He has the ability to start in the NFL, but has been surpassed by second-year pro La’el Collins at left guard. Now, all Leary can do is keep a positive mindset and hope that another team gives the Cowboys enough in return to facilitate a trade.

Leary has been slowed by a groin injury of late and won’t play in Thursday’s preseason game at Seattle, but brushed off the notion that could impact his potential trade value.

“I think every team knows what I can do by now,” said Leary, who started 31 of 32 games at left guard for the Cowboys in 2013-14. “I’ve been playing for a while now, so not playing in a preseason game isn’t going to have teams wondering what I can do.”

Leary, 27, said he feels good physically and is simply taking a cautious approach with the regular season a couple weeks away.

Leary, who sat out voluntary team activities in the off-season after demanding a trade, has kept a positive attitude for the most part. He is under contract for $2.553 million after signing his restricted free agent tender before the draft.

The team signed Joe Looney to backup the three interior offensive line positions on game day because Looney has experience playing center.

“I’ve been cool. I just focus on me,” Leary said. “It’s only so much you can control and I just control what I can control and that’s playing football. All the trade talks that have been going on for a while now,. We’ll see if something happens. But I’m always going to stay positive. I’m not going to get down because I’m a real confident guy in my game and everything.”

Asked if he’s optimistic about getting a chance to start somewhere in the league soon, Leary said: “I hope so. I want to start. I know I’m a starter in the league, I’ve said it plenty of times and other people have said it, so it’s true. It’s not just me talking.

“I hope so. I just pray about it and let it go. I can’t sit there and wrack my mind about it every day, it’ll drive you crazy. You end up being miserable, and I’m not going to let that happen.”

This story was originally published August 23, 2016 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Ron Leary holding out hope for starting opportunity in NFL."