Right tackle La’el Collins has picked a team. He’s signing with the Cincinnati Bengals, Pro Football Network has confirmed. NFL Network first reported the agreement, which not only further fortifies a much-improved Bengals offensive line but also takes one of the top tackles off the free agency market.
La’El Collins to sign with Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals now have made three major upgrades to an offensive line that allowed a staggering 70 sacks in 20 regular and postseason games in 2021. In the last week, they’ve added Collins (whom the Cowboys cut on Thursday), Ted Karras, and Alex Cappa.
That should come as a great comfort to quarterback Joe Burrow, who is recovering from a knee injury for the second straight offseason. Burrow got hurt during a hit in the pocket in the Super Bowl, but the injury did not require surgery.
Collins’ contract details were not immediately known. Cappa signed for four years, $35 million, and the Bengals locked down Karras with a three-year, $18 million deal.
Collins was a man in demand this weekend. NFL Network reported he was set to leave Cincinnati for another visit, but the Bengals were able to close the deal before he got on a plane.
NFL Free Agency: Offensive tackles still available
While the Bengals seem to have wrapped up an impressive spending spree on the offensive line, several teams still have significant needs at the position group. The Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, and New York Giants are among the many teams that could use help at the position.
The good news? There should be plenty of great options in the NFL Draft. As for free agency, the well is starting to dry up.
The best remaining players are Terron Armstead (said to be pursued by the Dolphins), Trent Brown (who visited the Seahawks last week), and Duane Brown (who has the Carolina Panthers among his suitors).
The rest of the list of free agents, however, leaves a bit to be desired: Jason Peters, Cornelius Lucas, and Eric Fisher are among the best of the rest.
It wouldn’t at all be surprising if many of those players will have to wait until after the draft to find a home — assuming they remain in the NFL at all.