IRVING, Texas -- At 6-foot-4, 321 pounds, La'el Collins doesn't do things small.
In the first game he played for the Dallas Cowboys, a preseason contest against the San Diego Chargers last summer, he opened up a hole on a Gus Johnson touchdown run and flattened a linebacker 20 yards down field. In the regular season, he made more highlights when he smothered Pro Bowlers Bobby Wagner and Earl Thomas on the same running play.
Earlier this offseason, Collins caught a catfish on Cedar Creek Lake that he estimated was more than 50 pounds.
"One of those ones you catch once in a lifetime," Collins said.
The Cowboys hope Collins can turn into one of those once-in-a-lifetime guards, even if they might already have one playing right guard in Zack Martin.
As Collins begins his second season, he feels more comfortable.
"Really just the game slows down for you, especially after the first year of experience knowing what to expect, knowing how hard I have to work this offseason to get stronger, faster and to be better mentally," said Collins, who started 11 games as a rookie. "[You] play off just natural instinct and reaction where you're not even thinking out there. That's my biggest thing this year. That's what I'm focusing on."
Martin, the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2014 and a Pro Bowler in each of his first two seasons, sees a different Collins.
"He's been awesome this offseason," Martin said. "You can tell he's more comfortable. He has a great feeling for what's going on, really coming to work every day. So we're excited to see him coming along."
