Sources: Collins tried to bribe drug-take a look at collector

Dallas Cowboys appropriate kind out La’el Collins turn into as soon as suspended after looking out to bribe the league’s drug-take a look at collector, sources informed ESPN.

Gamers can no longer be suspended for obvious marijuana checks beneath the NFL’s collective bargaining settlement, but Collins’ insist turn into as soon as extra than one skipped over checks and looking out to bribe the take a look at collector, sources stated.

The NFL before every little thing turn into as soon as making ready to suspend Collins five video games for his actions, however the NFL Gamers Affiliation — conscious of the supposed five-game suspension — helped negotiate a reduction to what would had been a two-game ban.

Collins, nonetheless, appealed the suspension, and the allure turn into as soon as heard by an arbitrator appointed collectively by the league and the NFLPA. The arbitrator no longer finest rejected Collins’ allure but also dominated that, in response to the evidence, the suspension must be elevated succor to the traditional five video games.

Collins’ lawyer is making an strive an allure of the arbitrator’s decision, but league sources mediate the suspension, which turn into as soon as announced Sept. 10, is no longer going to be lowered.

Both the NFL and NFLPA declined comment this weekend when contacted by ESPN.

Collins served the first game of his suspension in final Sunday’s victory over the Los Angeles Chargers and ought to also scuttle over Monday night time’s matchup in opposition to the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

He believed he had legit reasons for missing seven drug checks, no doubt one of which turn into as soon as scheduled for the day that Cowboys strength and conditioning coach Markus Paul died in November. Collins skipped over one other drug take a look at the day of his uncle’s funeral.

Collins is no longer the first NFL participant to strive to avoid the league’s drug-take a look at policy. In 2013, the NFL suspended Denver Broncos big title Von Miller six video games after he turn into as soon as caught making an strive to contaminated the drug-take a look at program with the succor of a urine collector.

If his suspension is no longer lowered or overturned, Collins shall be eligible to advance to the roster Oct. 18, the day after the Cowboys play the Recent England Patriots.

The suspension will payment Collins roughly $2 million and, per the CBA, voids the damage suppose payment $6.48 million in his 2022 salary.

Collins has started 62 of the 63 video games he has performed for the Cowboys since 2015 at left guard or appropriate kind out. He skipped over 13 video games in 2016 thanks to a toe damage and all of ultimate season thanks to hip surgical treatment.