has been back in the building for the for weeks now, but he'll officially be allowed back on the practice field in a few days. The veteran right tackle has been absent since the conclusion of the Week 1 battle Rick Mahorn Jersey with the -- saddled with a five-game suspension that devolved into a federal lawsuit that was matchup with the . It's been backup tackle protecting the right side of in his stead, and Steele has .Steele, a former undrafted free agent who joined the Cowboys in 2020, struggled mightily as a rookie tasked with taking on the starting role due to season-ending injuries to both Collins and , and there was very real concern outside of the organization if Steele could hold up for more than a month this time around. Fast forward to the Cowboys bye week and Steele has solidified himself as the definitive swing tackle in Dallas, and is generating conversation on if Collins should regain his role as starter.For his part, offensive line coach Joe Philbin won't lean in one direction or the other, instead choosing to praise Steele while reminding everyone just how good Collins truly is."I think Terence played I'm throwing out a broad number, 1,000 plays maybe last year," said Philbin this week. "He played a bunch of football for us. I think he's improved. I think he's gotten better. "He's a very, very hard-working individual. So I'm certainly pleased with the contribution he's made. I'm excited to have La'el back with us and looking forward to working with him. And as we get ready for Minnesota we'll prepare these guys to play and then Coach Mike McCarthy will make a decision that's in the best interest of the team."But excited to have La'el back for sure. He did a good job in the Tampa Bay game and looking forward to working with Joe Smith Jersey him again." Pick Six Newsletter Crafted By The Best NFL Experts Get the day's big stories + fun stuff you love like mock drafts, picks and power rankings. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pre sing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the and acknowledge Paramount's . Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Thanks for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox. Sorry! There was an error proce sing your subscription. As noted, Collins (a former undrafted free agent himself) has been in the building and conditioning during Tracy McGrady Jersey his suspension, so Philbin isn't concerned about that part of the equation whatsoever. "Yeah, I mean, he's been here," said Philbin, still needing to get Collins on the field next week to see exactly how ready he might be to take the field on Oct. 31 against the . "I haven't been with him working on the field obviously for five weeks. So it's going to be important when we get back here to get on the field together and see where he's at. But all the reports are good. He feels good."I've seen him in the meetings, communicated with him. I'm looking forward to getting back on the practice field with him."It's all sentiment echoed by owner Jerry Jones."Our team is fortunate to have Collins back," the Hall of Fame owner told 105.3FM the Fan. "It's great to have him back. I know it is been a real challenge for him not being on that football field in many, many ways. But he is an outstanding football player, recognized as that all over the . "And, boy, anytime you can help your team, especially your offensive line, you got to use it."Jones went on to note Ersan Ilyasova Jersey what a great problem it is to be having the Collins vs. Steele debate only six games into a season that saw them enter with a ma sive void at swing tackle. The Cowboys signed veteran Ty Nsehke to help in that regard, but Nsehke recently mi sed several games with a heat-related illne s and failed to impre s in training camp and preseason, and having lost to injury only hurt their depth further. But to be comfortable enough toward the end of October to risk to waivers -- losing him to the -- shows just how confident the Cowboys are with their O-line group going forward.And Jones couldn't be more pleased with the progre sion Steele has made."You couldn't have drawn up somebody that took advantage and just before your eyes get better and better in practice than Terence Steele," he said. "So, we got a great situation there. In my view, of course, you have La'el come in here and that's the way that we do it normally is the incumbent does have his position. Now, that Grant Long Jersey 's not a golden rule at all. But I would see before we're through having both of them out there quite a bit every game." How much playing time Collins sees in his first game back will ultimately be driven by how good he does or does not look when the Cowboys return to practice on Wednesday, thanks to Steele giving the team the ability to avoid making a decision out of desperation. In other words, if Collins looks fantastic, Steele will likely concede the starting role immediately. If Collins needs time to reacclimate after playing in just one game this season, Steele will see the bulk of the reps.And the Cowboys will then revisit the situation for Week 8.