ERIC AUSTONWILLIAMSBURG , VA
Why is everyone so eager to replace Ron Leary? He's a beast and he wasn't expected to be. The run game thrived on his side.
David: From a fan perspective, La'el Collins is a new face and a big name. He's a first-round talent, which makes him more exciting than Leary. From a coaching perspective, they just want the best possible combination on the field. If Collins replaces Leary, I'm sure they'd be fine with it. If Leary beats out Collins, it obviously means the veteran showed them something.
Rob: Leary's one of the more underrated players on offense. He gets overlooked playing alongside three first-round picks and Doug Free, who's been a fixture for years. I do think Leary and Collins could be one of the better position battles of camp. Collins said moving inside to guard is "second nature" to him and he might be more comfortable there, where he's not playing in space as much.
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JIM WHATLEYHENDERSON, TX
If Sean Lee gets hurt again and misses several games, what happens to him heading into the 2016 season?
David: I think that probably depends on what your definition of "several" is. If he misses two or three games this year, I'd chalk that up to the rigors of the NFL and shrug my shoulders. But if Lee misses another substantial chunk of time – five, six games or more – then I'd assume the Cowboys have to think about re-doing his contract or potentially moving on altogether. That contract just isn't viable if Lee can't stay on the field.
Rob: Lee told reporters this week that he played the first four years of his career on a partially torn left ACL he sustained in college, and that's the one that tore completely last year. It speaks to his passion and toughness as well as the unfortunate injuries he's had. It's got to be a relief for him to have two stable knees ready to go for 2015, but he admits he's got to stay healthy and perform. The Cowboys drafted two more linebackers this year -- partially for special teams, but also because injuries have occurred for Lee and the unit as a whole. They've attempted to protect themselves a bit there.
