Whatever rumors might be circulating regarding Cowboys offensive tackle Doug Free possibly retiring, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett doesn’t believe them.
Garrett told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine Thursday that he talked with Free after the Cowboys’ season ended in January and believes Free will be back for an 11th NFL season.
“I do not know of any talk of retirement in regards to Doug Free,” Garrett said, per the team’s official website. “We had a good visit after the season.
“He, like all the players...wanted to get away for a little while then get themselves recharged and come back to work. I don’t anticipate anything other than that.”
The team website speculated that the rumors might have come from comments made earlier in the week by Cowboys personnel executive Stephen Jones regarding La’el Collins potentially moving outside to right tackle, where Free has been the team’s full-time starter since 2011.
The Cowboys drafted Free, 33, in the fourth round in 2007. He played two seasons at left tackle early in his career and has made 114 career starts. Free is due to make $5 million in 2017, the final year of a three-year deal he signed before the 2015 season.