Dallas Cowboys beginning right tackle La’el Collins has been suspended five games for disregarding the NFL’s substance misuse policy, the association reported on Friday.

Collins’ exact infraction isn’t clear, however various sources said he didn’t fail any tests. No place in the policy is five games listed as an expected punishment, either.

Attorneys for Collins keep on appeal on his behalf, contending that his violation of the policy considers a fine yet not a suspension, a source revealed to ESPN’s Ed Werder.

Collins will be qualified to get back to the list on Oct. 18, the day after the Cowboys play the New England Patriots.

The Cowboys were not caught off guard by the NFL’s decision, however coach Mike McCarthy said during his news conference Friday that “the timing of it is a bit awkward, but it’s just something I can’t speak of right now.”

The suspension will cost Collins generally $2 million and, per the aggregate haggling, it voids the current injury ensure worth $6.48 million in his 2022 compensation.

Collins has begun 62 of the 63 games he has played for the Cowboys since 2015 at left guard or right tackle. He missed 13 games in 2016 in view of a toe injury and all of last season in light of hip surgery. His appearance in Thursday’s opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was being referred to the week before the kickoff as a result of a stinger issue that took him out of two practices.

Without Collins, the Cowboys could look for a substitution in a variety of ways.

Veteran Ty Nsekhe and Terence Steele, who began 14 games last year, served as the backup offensive tackles against the Buccaneers. If the Cowboys go for a tackle-for-tackle swap, either could supplant Collins.

“We’ve got a lot of experience last year of moving people around, but we’d like to keep moving forward with the guys who have been working at right tackle,” McCarthy said. “Obviously [Collins], Ty and Terence have taken the reps there … We’re eyes wide open. You have to be because things happen. We want to be able to have as many combinations as possible.”

The Cowboys could likewise move six-time Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin to tackle and keep Connor McGovern at right guard. Martin began two games at right tackle last year before a calf injury finished his season. Martin stays on the hold/COVID-19 list, however he is expected back on schedule for the Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Last week, McCarthy was gotten some information about playing Martin at tackle this season.

“I would hope we don’t have to go that way ever again,” he said. “It speaks volumes about Zack Martin how he jumped out there and gave us the quality of play he was able to give us.”

Collins’ nonattendance won’t be the just one for the Cowboys’ offense.

Wide collector Michael Gallup passed on the 31-29 misfortune to the Buccaneers right on time with a calf strain that a source said could keep him out three to five weeks. He had four catches for 36 yards prior to getting harmed in the second half.

Cedrick Wilson moved in as the No. 3 receiver close by Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb after Gallup went down.