Why the Cowboys Can’t Afford Another First-Round Offensive Lineman in 2026
There’s a saying in football that championships are won in the trenches-and that’s not just locker room talk. Look at the last few Super Bowl winners and you’ll see a common thread: strong line play on both sides of the ball.
But there’s a fine line between building a foundation and pouring so many resources into one position group that the rest of the roster starts to crack. That’s exactly the crossroads the Dallas Cowboys find themselves at with their offensive line.
Over the last four drafts, Dallas has used three first-round picks on offensive linemen. And to their credit, those picks have largely panned out.
The young talent is there. But now, with Tyler Guyton battling injuries and Terence Steele struggling, there’s growing chatter that the Cowboys could dip back into the offensive tackle pool with yet another first-rounder in 2026.
On paper, that might seem like a logical move. In practice?
It’s a misstep the Cowboys can’t afford to make-not with the state of the rest of the roster.
A Top-Dollar Offense That’s Already Doing Its Job
Let’s start with the big picture: Dallas already boasts one of the most expensive offenses in the NFL, and that price tag is only going up. By 2026, they’re projected to spend more than $200 million on that side of the ball-and that doesn’t even account for potential new deals for George Pickens and Javonte Williams.
The Cowboys have clearly prioritized the offense, and the results speak for themselves. They’re putting up points.
This isn’t an offense that’s holding the team back.
The problem is what’s happening on the other side of the ball. Quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Caleb Williams, Jacoby Brissett, and J.J.
McCarthy are having career days against this defense. That’s not a fluke-that’s a red flag.
The defense is leaking, and no amount of offensive firepower can consistently overcome that.
Two First-Round Picks in 2026-And Both Need to Go to the Defense
Dallas is in a rare position heading into the 2026 draft: they have two first-round picks. That’s a golden opportunity to reshape the roster. But if they use one of those on yet another offensive tackle, they’re missing the forest for the trees.
Since 2019, the Cowboys have drafted just two defensive players in the first round-Micah Parsons and Mazi Smith-and neither is currently on the roster. That’s a stunning stat for a team that desperately needs help at every level of the defense.
They need a safety. They need a corner.
They need a pass rusher. They need a linebacker.
In short, they need everything.
And with no second- or third-round picks in 2026, those two first-rounders are even more precious. They can’t afford to spend one on a position group that’s already been heavily invested in-especially when that group isn’t even performing at a top-tier level.
Drafting O-Linemen in Round 1 Isn’t a Guaranteed Path to Success
It’s worth zooming out here. There’s a perception that the only way to build a dominant offensive line is by stacking first-round picks. But the evidence just doesn’t back that up.
Take the 2024 Super Bowl champion Eagles. They had the best offensive line in football that year, and only one of those starters was a first-round pick-Lane Johnson, drafted back in 2013.
Mekhi Becton was cast off from the Jets. The rest were mid-rounders or undrafted players who developed into solid contributors.
Look at their opponent in that game, the Kansas City Chiefs. They didn’t have a single first-round pick on their offensive line until they took Josh Simmons in 2025. Yet they still fielded a line that protected Patrick Mahomes at a championship level.
Even the other two teams in the 2024 Championship Round-the Bills and Commanders-got there without spending a single first-round pick on their offensive lines. And they had two of the league’s most productive offenses.
The point isn’t that drafting offensive linemen early is a bad idea. It’s that doing it year after year isn’t a requirement for success.
You can build a strong offensive line with smart scouting, good coaching, and player development. And right now, that’s where Dallas is falling short.
The Cowboys’ Offensive Line: High Investment, Low Return
According to Pro Football Focus, the Cowboys’ offensive line currently ranks 26th in the league. That’s despite having three first-round picks on the unit.
That’s not a talent issue-it’s a development issue. And adding another first-rounder isn’t going to magically fix that.
What the Cowboys need is better coaching on the offensive line, not more blue-chip prospects. The teams at the top of the PFF rankings aren’t necessarily the ones with the most draft capital invested.
In fact, only three of the top 12 teams have used multiple first-round picks on their offensive lines in the last five years. Several haven’t used any.
It’s Time for the Offensive Line to Hold Its Own
Dallas has built one of the best offenses in the league this season with what amounts to an average offensive line. Sure, there’s always room for improvement, especially if Steele continues to struggle.
But that kind of marginal upgrade at right tackle isn’t going to move the needle in terms of playoff success. Not when the defense is hemorrhaging points week after week.
The real path back to contention runs through the defense. The Cowboys need at least four new starters on that side of the ball-maybe more.
And with limited draft capital, every pick has to count. Spending another first-rounder on an offensive lineman would be a luxury pick they simply can’t afford.
The Bottom Line
The Cowboys have done well drafting offensive linemen in recent years. But it’s time to shift focus.
That unit needs to start performing at a higher level with the resources it already has. The front office has done its part by investing in talent.
Now it’s on the coaching staff to get more out of that group.
Meanwhile, the defense needs help-and fast. If Dallas wants to be more than just a good regular-season team, if they want to actually contend in a loaded NFC, they need to use those 2026 first-round picks to rebuild a defense that’s been far too easy to exploit.
Another offensive tackle might look like a safe pick. But for a team that can’t stop even the league’s most inconsistent quarterbacks, it would be a step in the wrong direction.