FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys have seemingly gone back and forth the last few weeks when decided who will play at right tackle between Terence Steele and La'el Collins.
On Tuesday, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones made it pretty clear who would play this week in Washington:
Both.
Jones sounded as if both Collins and Steele would factor into the game-plan, especially with the chance to use a jumbo formation to aid the running game.
"I think it's the best we've been all year," Jones said on 105.3 "The Fan" regarding the right tackle position. " You've got an improved Collins. You've got a Steele we know and are very confident he can play at the right tackle and play well here. We will use the fact that we've got Collins at his best this year and Steele and use that as a way to help our running game. We will do that. What that lets us do, relative to any other formations that what we want, we'll use a big guy in that normally you'd have a tight end there. That will help us out."
Now, Jones didn't exactly reveal which of the two players would actually start this Sunday in the all-important division game at FedEx Field, but said the initial starter at right tackle isn't the most important aspect of the situation anyway.
"I don't look at that, both of them will play a lot," Jones said. "We don't have to look at that. Collins and Steele are both the same player whether they're the first one out there or not."
Collins started Week 1 in Tampa Bay but then served a five-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse program. In his absence, Steele started the next five games, and then even the next game when Collins returned.
Steele switched over to left tackle for two games to replace Tyron Smith but then went back to right tackle to replace Collins for the Thanksgiving Day game with the Raiders.
But then Steele had to miss Thursday's game in New Orleans due to Covid-19 restrictions.
So now that Steele is expected back, and Smith is healthy again, and Collins playing better as of late, the Cowboys have a plan with their three tackles.
And it seems as if all of them will be included.
