Why Cowboys Offensive Tackle Concerns Might Be Overblown

Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Why Cowboys Offensive Tackle Concerns Might Be Overblown

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jul 11, 2026 3:00 PM ET

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Despite being considered one of the best teams in the NFC this season, there's one primary offensive concern that could hurt the Dallas Cowboys. As explosive as they were on offense, the Cowboys struggled to slow down edge rushers in 2025.

Both of their tackles have been under fire, with third-year pro Tyler Guyton taking the brunt of the criticism. The 2024 first-round pick has yet to live up to expectations, with injuries and inconsistent play holding him back. He now enters the season being called out by head coach Brian Schottenheimer, who says Guyton will have to compete for his job with Nate Thomas.

I recently wrote how this move might be more strategic than anything as the Cowboys are looking to light a fire under Guyton. Still, he's far from a sure bet. The same is true of right tackle Terence Steele, who took a paycut to remain with the team, but still doesn't give them a Pro Bowl-caliber starter by any means.

How bad were the OTs in 2025?

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That being said, the worry about the position might be somewhat overblown. Don't get me wrong, the tackles aren't great, but Dallas overcame much of the concern thanks to the awareness of Dak Prescott. His ability to evade pressure kept the sack totals low overall, as he was sacked 31 times in 2025.

There were plenty of pressures as Guyton surrendered 31 in 418 passing snaps with Steele giving up 52 in 722 snaps in pass protection. They also had 23 from Nate Thomas in 212 snaps. Still, the sack numbers were as follows: Steele gave up six, Thomas surrendered three, and two were credited to Guyton, all according to PFF stats.

The offense was just fine with the current starters

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Those numbers show that while the tackles had struggles, Prescott was able to find a way to get the ball out in time for much of the season. That's how the offense finished second in the NFL in yards with 6,663 and seventh with 471 points.

They were well-rounded as well, finishing in the top 10 in passing and rushing yardage. That said, they had issues punching the ball in the red zone, which explains the gap between their yardage and scoring ranking.

Entering 2026, the Cowboys need to see better efficiency in the red zone, and that falls on the shoulders of their tackles. In the end, however, they have shown they can drop 30 points on any defense with this starting line, which is why the concerns might be slightly overblown. Keeping an eye on the development of Guyton, Thomas, and even rookie Drew Shelton will be vital, but there's no reason to hit the panic button just yet.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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