Dallas Cowboys Rumors and News: La'el Collins Pushes To Start, AJ Jenkins Hopes To Make Team, Greg Hardy Suspension Appealed

Jun 03, 2015 02:29 PM EDT
The Dallas Cowboys' Greg Hardy (76) runs a drill during an OTAs
The Dallas Cowboys' Greg Hardy (76) runs a drill during an OTA practice at Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, on Wednesday, May 27, 2015."

The Dallas Cowboys are into OTA workouts and players like La'el Collins and Randy Gregory have the chance to start as rookies this season if they perform well in training camp, while AJ Jenkins is just trying to make the team as a receiver behind Dez Bryant, Devin Street, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley and this comes as Greg Hardy has appealed his 10-game suspension for 2015.

The Cowboys are coming into the 2015 season looking to make a Super Bowl run, as Tony Romo is getting older and their window may be closing. The team did a strong job in the draft, adding good prospects like Byron Jones and Randy Gregory while also signing Collins as an undrafted free agent. According to Pro Football Talk, Jones should get the chance to start this season, while Gregory can get playing time with Hardy suspended for part of the year.

Collins was considered to be a first round talent after falling out of the draft due to off the field issues and the Cowboys were able to sign him. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Collins has a chance to get into the starting lineup and he has been working around the offensive line in OTA workouts this spring. Collins was used at right tackle for part of one practice and Clarence Hill tweeted that he also was getting "first team reps at left guard."

Collins has played more on the left side in college, but he said after the draft that he has the versatility to play on either side of the line. Head coach Jason Garrett praised Collins, saying that he has the skills to play tackle or guard for the Cowboys and he could end up spending time at both positions for the team. Doug Free is still coming back from an ankle injury and that could give Collins the chance to push into the starting lineup.

AJ Jenkins is in camp with the Cowboys after signing as a free agent and he is hoping to make the team as a fourth or fifth wideout behind Terrance Williams, Devin Street, Cole Beasley and Dez Bryant. Jenkins is a former first round pick and he has been mostly a bust for the Chiefs and 49ers, but he has good size and potential and is still relatively young. Jenkins has just 17 catches in three seasons in the league and that means he will have to step up to make the team. Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com spoke with Jenkins and he said he was "grateful for the opportunity" to work in camp for the team. Jenkins will have to play well with Devin Street also showing potential, but he has a chance to make the team.

Gregory is hoping to get a chance to start and he could do that with Hardy likely suspended multiple games. Hardy is facing a 10-game suspension, but he has appealed that and ESPN Dallas reports that the suspension likely will be cut down in his appeal. Hardy still will likely miss multiple games, but SI's Peter King writes on the MMQB that the suspension likely will go to eight or six games, as "two or four games" will be taken down from the 10.

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