Agent lashes out at NFL following five game La'el Collins suspension

The Dallas Cowboys received tough news on Friday when starting offensive tackle La’el Collins was suspended five games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. NFL agent Peter Schaffer was hired to handle the appeal, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

Schaffer said that the appeal process was not done at the time of the announcement. He does not think that the news should have come out so soon. NFL reporter Ian Rapoport said that Collins was suspending for missing drug tests. He compared the situation to essentially failing to appear.

“We are extremely disappointed in how the NFL has handled this entire matter from trampling on Mr. Collins’ rights to prematurely releasing the information knowing a timely appeal was filed to intentionally misleading the court at the hearing,” Schaffer said. “The extent and effort the NFL went to accomplish its ends is appalling.”

Collins isn’t the only Cowboys player that will miss the next few weeks

Wide receiver Michael Gallup suffered a calf injury in the Cowboys’ 29-27 loss to the Buccaneers on Thursday night. He is expected to miss three to five weeks. Gallup is the Cowboys’ third receiver behind Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb.

Losing Collins is a big hit for the Cowboys on offense. Quarterback Dak Prescott just made his first appearance of the season. He went down with a serious leg injury last season and battled shoulder issues during preseason camp. Prescott played very well on Thursday, completing 42 of his 58 passes for 403 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. He had 32 pass attempts in the first half, which was a career high.

Coming out of the game, Prescott is very confident and glad he is able to return to the field. While he will be without one of his pass protectors in Collins, Prescott looks to be in line for a huge season for the Cowboys.

“I feel like I’m a better player than I was when I left the field [last year],” Prescott said. “And I told y’all that was the expectations I had for myself, and I’ll continue to try to get better game in and game out.

“I enjoyed every moment of that game. Honestly, this whole trip, there’s been multiple moments that I’ve taken in and just missed the bus ride, missed the warm-ups, missed the fans, missed so much about this game that brings me so much joy. Being down in a game two points and knowing you’re going to have an opportunity to go back out there and play. Just that resiliency — missed that. Missed that feeling that sparks up in me and the fire that it had. There wasn’t a part of this game or moment I took for granted.”