For the last two seasons, the Dallas Cowboys have had issues at the offensive tackle positions. Tyler Guyton, a first-round pick in 2024, has been paired with veteran Terence Steele, a run-blocking specialist, to bookend the offensive line from the left and right tackle positions. And for two years they’ve been certifiably terrible in their pass-protection duties. Might things be changing?
Grading as two of the worst starting pass protecting offensive tackles in the NFL, the Guyton and Steele pairing has kept Dak Prescott’s head on a swivel. Staying ahead of the chains has been a must for this Dallas offense because five-step drops in obvious passing situations has been a recipe for disaster.
Traditional methods of support have been hard to implement
since trouble was seen on both sides. Typically, if teams have a struggling tackle, they will send extra players to chip and double-team. It comes at the cost of another downfield weapon, but it beats the alternative. But since the Cowboys have had issues at both tackle spots, there wasn’t enough assistance to go around. It’s hard enough to send help to one side down after down, but it’s impossible to help both sides.
In 2026 things look to be shaping up.
Guyton appears to have finally turned the corner in his development and is looking like a real NFL blindside protector. His growth will allow extra assistance to go towards Steele on the right side which is much more manageable.
Yet, because every rose has a thorn, Steele is, of course, regressing even further. His already-poor pass protection is now approaching peak badness. It’s an issue that’s been so concerning this summer the Cowboys pulled off a trade for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ own struggling tackle, Broderick Jones.
Jones, coming off a significant spinal fusion surgery, is far from being a plug-and-play alternative. He’s working to regain his strength and grow his technique. Steele, a player with over $51M in career earnings, is still the favorite for the starting job in these early weeks. Even if he’s declined in his pass protection, the situation is still digestible, provided Guyton holds up his side of the deal.
Guyton’s development is ultimately the Cowboys’ saving grace. Steele, or Jones for that matter, can’t afford to be absolutely terrible, but struggles can be managed because the left tackle position isn’t demanding the same degree of help.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys can survive issues of $51M starter because of this development
