The Cowboys’ offensive line is going straight into a Week 1 test that could tell a lot about how Dallas plans to survive up front this season. New York has edge rushers who can make a quarterback’s night miserable, and the Giants’ best path to disruption starts with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux coming after Dak Prescott.
That’s where the alarm bells begin for Dallas, especially on the right side. Terence Steele gave up 52 pressures last season, the most of any qualifying offensive tackle according to PFF, and his 54.9 pass-blocking grade ranked 76th out of 89 tackles. The Cowboys made their feelings about the position pretty clear when they traded for Broderick Jones just before the season and immediately put him in competition with Steele.
On the other side of the line, Tyler Guyton is the one drawing the spotlight. He’s gotten plenty of praise this summer, and Dallas sounds more confident in him now than it did earlier in the offseason. But Week 1 is where all of that has to turn into actual production, because if the right side is shaky and Guyton’s preseason optimism collapses under real pressure, New York can heat up both edges of the pocket.
The Cowboys also have a route to flip the pressure back on the Giants by going after the middle of that front. New York gave up 5.3 yards per rush last season, the worst number in the league, and then overhauled the defensive line after trading Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati.
D.J. Reader was brought in to help fill that gap, while Shelby Harris and second-year lineman Darius Alexander are expected to play major roles.
That gives Dallas a chance to lean on the strength of its own line and make the Giants answer in the middle. If the Cowboys can hit that area early and often, it could ease the burden on the tackles if the outside rush starts causing problems.
There’s also a more direct way to slow down Carter and Burns: make them work against the run. Carter was excellent as a pass rusher last season, but his 54.4 PFF run-defense grade ranked 95th among qualifying edge defenders. Burns, meanwhile, was much better getting after the quarterback than setting the edge, finishing with a 59.8 run-defense grade.
Dallas can use that against them by running right at those aggressors, forcing them to stop hunting Prescott and hold their ground instead. The Cowboys can also help their tackles with tight ends, move Smith or Booker across the formation, and use misdirection to take advantage if Carter and Burns get too eager to fly upfield.
The individual battle that stands out most is Tyler Guyton against Abdul Carter. Carter announced himself as one of the league’s most disruptive young pass rushers in his rookie season, leading all rookies with 66 pressures and posting an 84.5 PFF pass-rush grade that ranked 11th among qualifying edge defenders. He got harder to block as the year went on, and his game is built to stress tackles in every direction.
He can win with speed around the edge, but he can also bend back inside when a blocker overcommits. That makes him the kind of rusher who can expose whether Guyton’s progress is real.
Guyton has the size and athleticism to handle speed, and Dallas has praised his footwork and his ability to recover when rushers change direction. Now the regular season has to prove it.
In Other News...
Cowboys Enter Week 1 With A Tight End Problem
As the Cowboys get ready for their regular-season opener against the Giants, the tight end room is already looking thinner than anyone around the team would like. Luke Schoonmaker sat out practice with his status still unclear, while practice squad tight end Michael Trigg is rehabbing a toe injury, leaving Dallas to sort through a position group that has taken a hit before the games even start.
Princeton Fant and DJ Rogers are both on injured reserve, which is why the Cowboys may need to look at a practice squad move just to keep the depth chart functional. One possible answer is James Mitchell, who could be elevated if Dallas decides it needs another body at tight end for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
John Harbaugh Is Already Turning Up The Tension Before Cowboys Opener
With Sunday nights opener against the Cowboys looming, John Harbaugh is already treating the week like a chess match. The Giants coach declined to get into game plans or specific player details at his press conference, making it clear he sees no value in handing over any competitive edge before the season even begins. It is the kind of early-week posture that tends to sharpen the edge around a division game, especially when two teams know each other well.
Harbaughs guarded approach comes as reports have also pointed to some pointed evaluations of quarterback Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo during camp. For Dallas, that only adds another layer to a game that already carries plenty of attention, with the Cowboys opening against a rival that appears intent on keeping every meaningful card close to the vest. The questions around how much the Giants are willing to reveal will wait until kickoff, and maybe well after it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys May Have Found A Scary New Way To Use George Pickens
The Cowboys are already thinking ahead to 2026, and George Pickens is central to the plan. After a strong first season in Dallas, the wide receivers role could grow in ways that make the offense less predictable, with the team looking to move him around more and use him in different alignments instead of keeping him in one familiar spot.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants the passing game to create more problems for defenses, and Pickens versatility could be a big part of that approach. Dallas is hoping that a more varied deployment, including more work in the slot, can build on a season in which Pickens piled up 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns and turn an already dangerous weapon into something even harder to track. [Read more 🡒]