The Cowboys’ preseason tinkering at tackle has sparked plenty of noise, but Terence Steele’s spot isn’t suddenly up for grabs.
That became a talking point after Dallas opened the preseason against the Seattle Seahawks and made one thing obvious: the offensive line is razor-thin outside of T.J. Bass. The depth at tackle, in particular, is shaky enough that the team’s alignment choices with Drew Shelton and Nate Thomas drew attention fast.
Steele, meanwhile, didn’t even suit up against Seattle. He’s still the established right tackle, and the backups behind him didn’t exactly make a case to change that. But when the Cowboys used Shelton at left tackle and Thomas at right tackle with the second unit this week, it raised questions about whether Dallas was sending a message about Steele.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams didn’t exactly quiet that chatter when they spoke about Steele needing more consistency. Still, the bigger picture matters here: the comments point to coaching, not a warning label on his job.
The move to test Shelton and Thomas on both sides says more about Dallas’ concern for depth than about any real uncertainty with Steele. The Cowboys want answers before they need them.
Thomas has been viewed as the third-best tackle on the roster, and the team wants to know if he can handle the right side. Shelton, who hasn’t played right tackle since his 2023 college season, is getting a look on the left for the same reason.
That’s the insurance policy. If Tyler Guyton struggles again, or if the Cowboys don’t want to kick Tyler Smith back outside, they need another plan ready to go.
Adams put it plainly when asked about Steele:
“I would say it's been up and down," Adams said of Steele's play. "He and I had a good conversation about that this morning of how we continue to try to find consistency.
He’s a guy that’s going into year seven, and he’s never going to ask for a day off, is never going to ask for a break. We’re just searching for ways to help him, and help him play at his best and most consistent.”
That’s not exactly a surprise for anyone who’s watched Steele over the years. He’s been a strong run blocker, but pass protection has been an issue at times, and penalties have also crept in.
The inconsistency is real. It’s just not the same thing as being in danger of losing the job.
The tone here is different from the way Dallas handled Guyton earlier in the offseason, when the competition language sounded much more urgent. Schottenheimer, by contrast, made clear that this is not that kind of situation.
So yes, Steele needs to be steadier. And yes, the Cowboys need to sort out their backup tackle combinations.
But those are separate questions. Dallas is trying to get ahead of a possible problem, not announce one.
If the tackles hold up, this all fades into background noise. If they don’t, the Cowboys will be glad they spent time finding out what Shelton and Thomas can do on both sides.
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