The Cowboys are top-heavy in the middle of the offensive line. They have all three starters signed up for 2026, but their best backups are set to become free agents. Given how much some of them have played
in recent years, Dallas can’t afford to let its depth diminish this offseason.
Under Contract
G Tyler Smith – The latest All-Pro stalwart, Smith is the bedrock of the line and has a big contract to show for it. Like Zack Martin before him, Smith should be here for years to come serving in the same key role of interior stabilizer. The only thing that might change that is if the Cowboys move him to left tackle, but Smith has been clear that he’s not a fan of that idea. Hopefully, the Cowboys look for other ways to strengthen the edges and keep Smith where he can be elite.
C Cooper Beebe – We haven’t seen elite work yet from Beebe, but he’s at least a solid starter. Some inconsistency may be due to injuries: he missed six games in his second season. The Cowboys hope their young center makes the third-year leap, and with that and better health he could emerge as one of the league’s best. Once his pass protection gets on level with his run blocking, Beebe should be cemented in his role for a while.
G Tyler Booker – Booker’s rookie season couldn’t have gone much better. PFF had him as the top rookie guard of 2025 and in the top-20 for all at his position, and he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. The Cowboys seems to have struck gold once again on a first-round interior lineman, and have the added cap management benefit of a cheap contract until 2029.
G Trevor Keegan – A 2024 fifth-round pick by the Eagles, Keegan was claimed off waivers at last year’s final cuts. He was at the bottom of the depth chart for several weeks, only playing in two games and barely at that. Keegan eventually landed on IR with a neck injury, but still has two years left on his original contract. As long as he’s healthy, he should be competitive for a backup job.
G Nick Leverett – Added to the practice squad in the middle of last year, Leverett has signed a futures deal for 2026. The 29-year-old has some experience, mainly from 10 starts with the Buccaneers in 2022. But given his age, he will need to be clearly better than younger depth options to stick around.
Free Agents
G/C Brock Hoffman (RFA) – Arguably the most important of Dallas’ free agent linemen, Hoffman has been a key reserve covering both center and guard. He and T.J. Bass are both restricted free agents, giving Dallas a little more leverage in contract talks. But even the lowest tender amount for 2026 is projected around $3.5 million, so that’s not cheap for a backup. Given his versatility, Hoffman is more likely to get this offer.
G T.J. Bass (RFA) – Bass has also been a solid backup and, like Hoffman, has put enough on tape to create a potential market. He’s started 10 games over the last three years, but is understandably not going to compete for a starting job against Smith and Booker. If another team offers him that opportunity, he is probably out the door.
G Rob Jones – The veteran was added for experienced depth and a potential starting option if Tyler Booker wasn’t immediately ready. Thankfully, Booker worked out great and mitigated losing Jones early in training camp to a neck injury. Still just 27 and expected to be fully recovered, Jones could be of interest again. Dallas might choose between him or Bass to bring back as an experienced contender in the roster battle.
What’s Needed?
The starting trio of Smith, Booker, and Beebe is clear and in line for its best season yet. Dallas may not have to do much even with the depth: guys like Nathan Thomas and Ajani Cornelius, technically tackles, offer interior versatility. If they don’t bring back Bass or Hoffman, they will probably need to look at backup center. But there’s potential for this group to move forward, even without the free agents, without much offseason action.
The biggest wrinkle comes if Tyler Smith gets moved to left tackle. We discussed the possibility in more detail in the offensive tackle preview, but suffice to say it’s possible that Dallas sees it as the best way to upgrade the position. If Smith does slide over, it opens up a starting job for Hoffman, Bass, Jones, or someone new. We could even see Beebe get moved to guard and Hoffman starting a center. It would also open the door to a more significant free agent addition at the interior line.
Draft-wise, we wouldn’t expect much. Dallas isn’t investing another first-round pick here this year, and they can’t rely on a Day 3 guy for anything beyond depth competition. A new backup center to replace Hoffman is the most likely rookie addition at the interior line. If they keep Hoffman, we could still a late-round guard added depending on how the talent shakes out on April 25th.
