Bengals Roster: Realistic expectations for La’el Collins in 2022

After joining forces in the offseason, La’el Collins is on the Cincinnati Bengals roster and he’s one of the most important newcomers to the team. What should fans expect from this new face?

If one surveyed 10 Cincinnati Bengals fans following their defeat in Super Bowl LVI and asked them what they’d most like to see the team work on in the offseason, it’s likely that all 10 of those who were surveyed would say offensive line.

The Bengals didn’t waste time beefing up their o-line, adding Alex Cappa and Ted Karras on the first day of the legal tampering period. Not long after, they were able to add former Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins, as the ‘Boys had released him and he chose to join the stripes.

Everyone is excited to see this new-look offensive line in action and Collins has already expressed his excitement to be a part of the crew.

Bengals Roster: What should fans expect from La’el Collins in 2022?

Collins finished last season with an 82.0 PFF grade, proving that he’s a top-notch right tackle for whichever team is lucky enough to have him. When he’s on the field, Collins is an asset to have. The problem, however, and probably why the Cowboys felt okay letting him go, is that Collins has only appeared in 12 games over the past two years. In seven NFL seasons, he’s played in every game just twice.

With that in mind, it’s not unfathomable to think that Collins might end up missing time in 2022. Last year he missed five games due to a suspension and the year before he was out for the entire season due to a hip injury.

A realistic expectation for Collins is that when he’s on the field, he’ll be a huge difference-maker on the right side of the line. Unfortunately, he might miss a handful of games though and that’s something fans need to prepare for.

Obviously we hope that Collins can remain healthy throughout the season because he’s expected to be a major part of this offense in 2022 and beyond.