Leary Intends to Put Up a Fight For Starting LG Job

When the Dallas Cowboys signed La’el Collins a little over a month ago, the general assumption was that he would take over as the starting left guard as a rookie. After all, it’s the only spot on the line that isn’t occupied by either a recent first round pick or a veteran named Doug Free who just signed a three-year, $15 million deal.

Of course, the man who has started all 16 games at left guard in each of the past two seasons, Ronald Leary, isn’t about to just give the starting job away.

“I think you turn on the film--you turn on the film from last year, you know I can play,” Leary told the team’s official website. “I’m just in it to prove to myself that I can be the best Ron Leary that I can be, and all the chips will fall in place.”

Last year, Leary competed with his good friend Mackenzy Bernadeau to keep his starting job. So while Bernadeau wasn’t a first round-graded rookie like Collins, the competition is nothing new.

“I think it just comes with the game. They’re always bringing in guys to take your job, and being an undrafted guy, you know that you’ve got to prove it every year,” Leary said. “He was a highly-ranked guy, just like Tyron and all of them, so you know all the hype is going to be around him, but I mean, I’m still here.”