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With final roster cuts coming soon, the Falcons have been urged to consider signing a veteran free agent after significant o-line injuries.
Each offseason, there are plenty of talented players who just don’t end up making the cut with their current team. With a 53-man limit for each roster, dozens of solid players end up as free agents every August.
Whether it’s due to a difference in scheme or younger talent at the position, several serviceable offensive linemen end up on the chopping block. With final roster cuts on Tuesday afternoon, pundits have urged the Falcons to consider signing a solid veteran free agent offensive lineman to fill in after significant injuries at the position.
Falcons in Desperate Need of Offensive Line Depth
This offseason, the Falcons addressed what most people thought would be their biggest need: pass rusher. The doubled up by drafting both Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. in the 1st Round.
While that will hopefully yield a more effective pass rush, the Falcons need to be much more worried about the other side of the ball. Injury issues have already challenged Atlanta’s offensive line depth before the start of the regular season.
Unfortunately, with just two weeks until Week 1, starting RT Kaleb McGary is set to miss “significant time” and backup OT Storm Norton is expected to miss six to eight weeks. It’s safe to say that the Falcons are as desperate for a free agent addition or trade as they’ve been in a long time.
While many names have been floated by different pundits across the football world, there are few free agents that would come at a better price than OT La’el Collins.
La’el Collins is among the players being released by the Cowboys today, according to a source. Collins, who started 71 games for the Cowboys from 2015-21, joined the team in training camp and played in three preseason games. Coaches praised his work with young OL, DL.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 24, 2025
Veteran Free Agent Cut by Cowboys on Sunday
A few years ago, pundits even pondered replacing McGary with Collins. It seemed misguided then, but that could be the new reality in 2025.
Collins could be a solid replacement to fill in for McGary, but he will need to prove that he’s still in good shape and ready to contribute on short notice.
La’el Collins is a name to keep an eye on. If the Cowboys don’t keep him on the roster, he could be a serviceable guy for the time being at RT.
— BroTalk (@BKsquared7) August 20, 2025
With limited time to make a trade happen, the Falcons will likely have to resort to signing a free agent. As teams cut their rosters down to 53 players, there should be several serviceable options available.
While there are few free agents as experienced as Collins, he hasn’t played a regular season game since Christmas Eve 2022. The Cowboys have dealt with their own injury issues along the offensive line, but even Dallas didn’t value him with a minimum salary.
Collins signed a one-year, $1,255,000 deal with the Cowboys on August 1st. But, he only lasted three and a half weeks in Dallas.
“Collins looked to be in terrific shape when he showed up at The Star for the retirement ceremonies of former teammates Zack Martin and Tyron Smith in the offseason,” wrote ESPN’s Todd Archer on August 1st.
There are certainly better options available out there, but it’s not clear how many will end up as free agents. In a desperate situation like this, the Falcons may need to explore the market for Collins.
Trevor Williamson Trevor Williamson joined Heavy Sports as a contributor in May 2025, focusing on the NFL. He is based in the southwest, but is originally from the midwest, where he grew up as a fan of the Bears, Cubs and Bulls surrounded by Packers, Brewers and Bucks fans. He is confident that Caleb Williams is the guy who will bring the Bears back to prominence. More about Trevor Williamson
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