Dak Prescott spent plenty of snaps last season with heat in his face, and he handled it better than almost anyone else in the league.
According to FTN Fantasy’s DVOA vs. pressure metric, Prescott finished second among NFL quarterbacks in 2025, trailing only Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Prescott posted a DVOA of -39.7% when dealing with pass-rush pressure.
FTN Fantasy describes Defense-adjusted Value Over Average as a way of measuring “teams, units, or players” efficiency by “comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.”
Behind Prescott on the list from No. 3 through No. 10 were Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
Prescott’s showing looks even stronger when you stack it against the protection he had in front of him. Dallas was tied for the 10th-most pressures allowed last season and finished 19th in pass-block win rate.
The Rams, by comparison, were much cleaner up front. They owned the fifth-best pass-block win rate and were tied for the eighth-fewest pressures allowed.
Dallas had real problems at the edges of its line, where both Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele struggled. Steele earned a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 54.9, which ranked 76th out of 89 qualifying tackles, while giving up six sacks and 52 total pressures.
Guyton’s numbers were rough as well. He posted a 50.0 PFF pass-blocking grade, ranked 81st, and allowed two sacks and 31 pressures in only 10 games.
Those issues weren’t limited to one season, either. Guyton also struggled as a rookie in 2024, and Steele has not played dating back to 2023. If Prescott is going to stay upright in 2026, Dallas needs both tackles to turn things around.
The Cowboys say Guyton is competing with Nate Thomas for the starting left tackle job this offseason, but that battle has been lopsided so far because Guyton has taken all of the first-team reps.
Steele, for his part, remains unchallenged for his spot through minicamp.
Dallas does have alternatives on the roster in Thomas and 2026 fourth-round pick Drew Shelton if either tackle falters during the season. Whether either would be an upgrade is still unknown, but for now the Cowboys are banking on Steele and Guyton to rebound and avoid forcing that decision.
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The most interesting pressure point may come at quarterback, where the Cowboys could carry three and still have to sort out a backup debate that is not especially clean. Sam Howell looks like the steadier option, while Joe Milton brings more upside and flash, and that kind of choice can ripple through the rest of the roster. There is also real competition elsewhere, including at tight end and in the secondary, where players who saw meaningful snaps a year ago are suddenly fighting to stay in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
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Cobie Durant Is Suddenly At The Center Of A Cowboys Dilemma
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The bigger question is how that performance fits into a cornerback room that still has pieces to sort through before training camp opens. Durant appears headed for a meaningful role and could line up opposite DaRon Bland if the season started now, but the pecking order at the second boundary spot also has to account for rookie Shavon Revel Jr., who is healthy and ready to compete. In other words, Durant has already forced his way into the conversation, and the final answer may depend on how the health of the group holds up once the competition gets real. [Read more 🡒]