The Dallas Cowboys have one obvious offensive question hanging over them, and it starts at tackle. That doesn’t mean the whole thing is ready to collapse.
Dallas was one of the NFC’s best teams this season, but edge pressure remained a problem. Tyler Guyton drew most of the heat, and for good reason.
The third-year pro has not matched the expectations that came with being a 2024 first-round pick, with injuries and uneven play slowing him down. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has already put him on notice, saying Guyton will have to compete for his job with Nate Thomas.
That move can be read as more than just a straightforward depth chart shakeup. It may be the Cowboys trying to push Guyton into another gear.
Even so, there’s no denying the uncertainty. Terence Steele is in the same conversation, too.
He took a paycut to stay in Dallas, but he still doesn’t look like a Pro Bowl-level answer at right tackle.
And yet, the panic around the position may be a little too loud.
The reason is Dak Prescott. His pocket awareness helped Dallas survive a lot of the damage up front, and the sack total stayed manageable at 31 in 2025.
The pressure numbers were still there - Guyton allowed 31 pressures in 418 passing snaps, Steele gave up 52 in 722 pass-protection snaps, and Thomas allowed 23 in 212 snaps. But the sacks tell a different story.
According to PFF stats, Steele allowed six, Thomas gave up three, and Guyton was charged with two.
That’s the key to the whole discussion: the tackles had issues, but Prescott kept the offense moving before those issues could turn into disaster. Dallas finished second in the NFL with 6,663 yards and seventh with 471 points.
The offense was balanced, too, cracking the top 10 in both passing and rushing yardage. The one area that held them back was the red zone, where they didn’t finish drives as efficiently as they needed to. That helps explain why the yardage rank and scoring rank didn’t line up.
Looking ahead to 2026, better red-zone efficiency is a must, and the tackles are part of that equation. Still, this group has shown it can put up 30 points against just about anyone.
That’s why the concern is real, but maybe not as dire as it sounds. The development of Guyton, Thomas, and rookie Drew Shelton will matter, but there’s no need to sound the alarm yet.
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