The Cowboys came out of their preseason opener with a few things to like. Camden Brown is still one of the fastest-rising names in camp, and the defense already looks cleaner in the two areas that matter most early on: communication and tackling.
But Saturday’s game against the Seahawks also put a bigger problem in plain view. Dallas does not have enough offensive line depth, and the weakest spot is at tackle.
That’s a sharp change for a team that has leaned on reliable backups up front in recent years. Players like Brock Hoffman and Chuma Edoga gave the Cowboys options. Right now, that kind of security blanket isn’t there.
The biggest concern is what’s happening behind the starting tackles. Nate Thomas was expected to push Tyler Guyton for the starting job when camp opened, but that race didn’t last long. After one padded practice, Schottenheimer essentially ended the competition, deciding Thomas still wasn’t consistent enough or advanced enough to keep working with the starters.
Those same issues showed up again in the preseason. Thomas had a rough first quarter against decent competition before settling in later, though the level of talent across from him dropped in the second half.
Maybe nerves played a part. Maybe not.
Either way, it was not the kind of showing that builds confidence.
The other name to watch is Drew Shelton, Dallas’ fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that people inside the Cowboys’ war room wanted to take Shelton as early as Day 2 because they believe he can become a starting tackle in the NFL.
That belief hasn’t translated smoothly yet. Shelton has reportedly been inconsistent in camp, and he looked overwhelmed against Seattle. Pro Football Focus credited him with three pressures allowed on 25 pass-blocking snaps, plus two QB hits and a false start.
Dallas likes Shelton’s athleticism, but the raw tools are only part of the equation. He still needs more upper-body strength if he’s going to grow into a starter. It’s far too early to slap a label on him, but his NFL debut was rough.
And that’s really the issue here. This isn’t about calling Shelton a bust or saying Thomas has fallen apart. It’s about a roster that doesn’t currently have a dependable swing tackle, which matters even more because Guyton hasn’t exactly been a picture of durability so far in his NFL career.
So expect Dallas to keep looking. The waiver wire and the trade market both make sense if the Cowboys want better depth before Week 1. Broderick Jones, who has fallen out of favor in Pittsburgh, looks like the kind of name that could surface if Dallas gets serious about upgrading the backup tackle spot.
For now, the hope is simple: Thomas and Shelton show real progress in Week 2 of the preseason. But after the weekend, both players left the same message behind - this is a problem the Cowboys need to fix.
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