Dallas City News

The offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys will be under the microscope this season after saying goodbye to two veteran players, Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz. The Cowboys will replace them with younger guys, however, it’s unclear just how ready these new guys will be by the start of the season. For that reason, all eyes have been on certain offensive linemen, and with training camp in full swing, we wanted to look at what we’ve seen so far.

The veteran starters

There are three spots on the offensive line that contain locked-in starters. Nothing will change with these guys, but we’ll check on them anyway.

ZACK MARTIN

It was sad to see Zack Martin walk onto the practice field in Oxnard without Tyron Smith by his side, but life goes on. As the elder, his main goal is staying healthy as he enters his 11th season. Martin has looked good, consistently winning against the younger defenders they throw at him. He has great balance, a stout anchor, and impressive strength. It’s all business as usual for this future Hall of Famer as he hopes to improve after a slightly down season a year ago.

TYLER SMITH

It feels like only yesterday that many were scratching their head wondering why the Cowboys would spend their top draft resource on such a raw offensive lineman. Those thoughts are long gone as Tyler Smith has become the team’s top offensive lineman (no offense, Zack Martin). At 23-years-old, Smith is already an All-Pro and looks unbeatable on the practice field. The consistency in his footwork, his wide base, and those vice-grip hands give his opponents no chance. Smith is so strong and he’s been dominating defenders on just about every rep. The dude’s an absolute beast.

TERENCE STEELE

This is one veteran that we’re keeping a close eye on. Just a couple of years ago, Terence Steele was ascending towards being one of the better tackles in the league, but a knee injury cut his season short. Last year, he struggled as he didn’t move the same and it was evident he didn’t trust his body. How does he look now after another year removed from surgery?

There have been mixed reports about the team’s fifth-year tackle. Some, including his head coach, have commented on how he looks a lot more comfortable and that he’s starting to show us glimpses of his 2022 self, but then there are other times when his movement is a little sluggish and he is late in securing the edge. He’s had some losing reps against Micah Parsons (who doesn’t) and rookie Marshawn Kneeland, but that might be more indicative of good defensive play than a knock on Steele. Either way, this one warrants additional monitoring as inquiring minds want to know if Steele will return to the real deal this season.

The new guys

Two starting spots are up for grabs with a couple of rookies in the mix as potential candidates. The Cowboys also have an undrafted free agent (from the Cleveland Browns) in his third year who has only made two NFL starts. How will the rest of the offensive line shake out?

TYLER GUYTON

The most critical piece to the Cowboys offensive line depends on how far the team’s new first-round pick gets before the regular season begins. Will he be ready? Early signs are good as Tyler Guyton has had some good practices. He’s gotten off the snap well, the footwork looks sharp, and he’s done a good job using his hands to keep defenders from moving him around. This guy has all the raw traits to be a great tackle in this league, but seeing some good fundamentals this early is very appealing to the eye. All the buzz early last week was centered around Guyton and how well he handled Micah Parsons and if things continue, the Cowboys may have found Tyron Smith’s replacement sooner versus later.

BROCK HOFFMAN

Tyler Biadasz isn’t a powerful, pile-moving center but he played with finesse and had the smarts to be a very effective sealer for the Cowboys. He even earned Pro Bowl honors in 2022. His departure leaves a hole that needs to be filled by one of two guys, Brock Hoffman or Cooper Beebe. At the moment, the job is Hoffman’s to lose and this gritty UDFA is not showing any signs of letting it go. He’s added strength which was an advantage he already held over Biadasz. His fundamentals have improved. And he’s become a more assertive communicator, wasting no time barking orders at the line of scrimmage. His confidence has been on full display. They still have a month to go, but Hoffman looks like the team’s opening-day starting center.

COOPER BEEBE

If you polled Cowboys Nation, Cooper Beebe might be this year’s favorite draft pick. Getting him in the third round feels like such a steal. And while there’s a lot to be excited about there, the transition to center hasn’t been so smooth. Beebe has had struggles with the snap whether it’s shotgun or under center. Sometimes we take for granted how “easy” things are, but for this college guard, this change might take some time. There are some positives though. His guard snaps have looked much better. He gets out of his stance quicker, has great leverage, and shows good vision when going from blocking one defender to another. There are some good things there, but his center readiness is not one of them. Beebe might start the season as the team’s top interior OL reserve.

The other guys

CHUMA EDOGA

The veteran Chuma Edoga started with the first team but was injured, opening the door for Guyton. Edoga returned with the 1’s, but he hasn’t looked very polished in the reps he’s had. He has looked stiff and has shown a lot of hand slapping that doesn’t amount to much. Even as a swing tackle, Edoga protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside is a little unnerving, so you can imagine how we feel about him as a starter. Hopefully, the Cowboys continue to give Guyton more work with the first team and he is ready to go by the start of the season.

ASIM RICHARDS

A year ago, Asim Richards looked pretty solid to where we thought he’d play a bigger role in the regular season. He didn’t as the team went with the veteran Edoga. This year, he again looks pretty decent. He’s gotten to his spots quickly and knows how to use his size, but he has lost his balance at times when he leans forward too much. Overall, he’s progressing nicely. Ideally, Guyton is ready to go at LT, while Richards slides into the swing tackle role.

Down the roster

It’s been relatively quiet for T.J. Bass. He was initially thought to be the team’s top interior OL reserve, but he’ll have to beat out Beebe for that job now. Josh Ball is still on the team and has had some good reps. Similar to when we last saw him, he does better inside than protecting the edge. The Cowboys’ seventh-round pick, Nathan Thomas has looked okay as he’s worked in with the second team.