The Cincinnati Bengals started their season off on the wrong foot, and the team made a surprising move on Tuesday afternoon. Cincinnati removed tackle La’El Collins from the PUP list, which makes him a free agent now. This move paves the way for Collins to return to football and potentially another team’s lineup this season.
“The Bengals have released OT La’El Collins from PUP. He’s now a free agent,” ESPN’s Field Yates posted on X.
The Bengals have released OT La’El Collins from PUP. He’s now a free agent.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 12, 2023
This move is a bit surprising, considering that Collins adds a presence, if nothing else, on the offensive line. Cincy has struggled in recent years on the line, even with all the success they’ve achieved recently. The team underwent a transformation when they drafted Joe Burrow, and the former LSU quarterback has led them to unprecedented success since then.
Collins has had a rollercoaster NFL career. Shortly after he left LSU to pursue a pro career, Collins became involved in a troubling situation. He spoke to police about the shooting death of a pregnant woman that Collins was previously in a relationship with. He was not considered a suspect but eventually went undrafted. The Dallas Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent later, and he succeeded at the position. He helped an offensive line that Ezekiel Elliott become a two-time rushing champion. Collins joined the Bengals in the 2022 season, in which the team made it to their second AFC Championship Game in a row.
A veteran offensive lineman is now on the market, though, so we’ll see how long that lasts.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022