The Cowboys opened their season with a loss on Thursday night and their bid to win next weekend will have to take place without the help of right tackle La’el Collins.
The NFL and the Cowboys have reported that Collins has been suspended five games. A violation of the league’s substance abuse policy is given as the reason for the suspension.
An arbitrator has ruled against Collins’ appeal, but the player and his representatives believe that his appeal rights have not been exhausted. As a result, they believe the suspension should not have been announced or put in place at this point.
Terence Steele and Ty Nsekhe are on hand as backup tackle options.
Collins started and played every offensive snap for the Cowboys on Thursday night. It was his first game since the final week of the 2019 season because a hip injury kept him from playing at all last year.
The Cowboys hope to have right guard Zack Martin and backup Brandon Knight back from the COVID-19 reserve list in time to play the Chargers in Week Two. Collins’ suspension means their return won’t give them a full-strength line until at least the seventh game of the season.