Leave it to Jerry Jones to throw us an offseason curveball.
The Cowboys owner and general manager can be expected to speak publicly at least every few weeks, holds the final say over all decisions and is not afraid to let a detail or two slip. It’s the perfect combination for a spring storyline or two. Jones dropped his latest nugget Monday from the NFL’s annual owners’ meetings, where he was asked about the state of the Cowboys’ offensive line.
This is a surprising wrinkle in a Dallas offseason that’s been shockingly smooth to this point.
Terence Steele enjoyed a breakthrough season on the Cowboys’ right side last year, allowing just four QB hits and one sack while earning a strong run-blocking grade, per PFF. His ACL injury in December hamstrung the offensive line, while also opening the door for Tyron Smith — fresh off his own injury — to replace him on the right side.
It’s strange to think that Steele, with 40 starts in three seasons, could be relegated to the bench, but that’s the harsh reality of the NFL. It’s not surprising if the Cowboys don’t want to move Tyler Smith from left tackle, given the promise he showed in his rookie campaign. At the same time, Tyron Smith has built a Hall of Fame résumé over the last decade and also restructured his contract to help the team’s cap concerns.
It makes sense that the Cowboys don’t want him watching from the sidelines. There had been thought that Tyler Smith would return to left guard, the position he was originally slated to play before a knee injury sidelined Tyron in training camp. If we can glean anything from Jones’ comments, it’s that that doesn’t look likely to happen.
Instead, look for a newer name in that spot. Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones suggested on Monday that recently signed veteran Chuma Edoga will likely work at guard. And obviously, if no one is switching spots, look for guard to be a position of some emphasis as the Cowboys work their way through the 2023 NFL Draft. They drafted each of their last two primary starters at left guard, Connor Williams and Connor McGovern, in the last five years.
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That’s one of several factors to keep in mind before we wring our hands too much about this idea. One month from now, the Cowboys will undoubtedly have added rookie talent to their offensive line — perhaps even as early as the first round of the draft.
On top of that, take another close look at the calendar. It’s not even April. The Cowboys haven’t taken the field for the first of their unpadded practices, let alone the grind of training camp. Steele looks to be progressing nicely from that ACL tear, but he’s not currently ready to play. And as much as we all admired Tyron Smith, he has missed a significant chunk of the season in three straight years. It’s beyond optimistic to think the Cowboys won’t need tackle depth at some point in 2023.
That’s the boring truth of the matter, but it’s still interesting to see how the Cowboys plan to juggle these guys from here. As always, thanks to Jerry Jones for the offseason assist.
David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.
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