For the first time in a long time the Cowboys have depth throughout the offensive line ranks. T.J. Bass at guard, Brock Hoffman at center and offensive tackles Matt Waletzko and Asim Richards give Dallas solid depth options at every position across the line.
It’s a luxury the Cowboys haven’t enjoyed in recent seasons. Over the past few years, the Cowboys have been struggling to put a starting unit together. In 2024 they have the starters and backups seemingly in place.
Obviously positions still need to be earned before names on the depth chart are written in ink, but the intensions are clear: Tyler Guyton was drafted in the first round and fully expected to open the season at the starting left tackle. Cooper Beebe was drafted in the third round and considered by many to be the front-runner at OC. Tyler Smith, Zack Martin and Terence Steele are virtual locks at their respective starting spots as well. The stage is set.
But for as good as the depth appears and for as clear as the Cowboys’ intensions are, the starting ranks are fairly suspect this season. That’s because the expected starters are largely unproven and or coming off down seasons.
The rookie Guyton is moving from the right to the left. He has plenty of time to make the transition, but the move can’t be completely disregarded. There’s also the fact he enters the NFL as a bit of a raw prospect. Guyton is more potential than plug-and-play so growing pains are expected. He’s not as polished as his draft status indicates so he comes with a considerable amount of risk.
Similarly, the rookie Beebe is switching positions as well. Moving from OG to OC is no small transition and while Beebe’s work ethic and intelligence indicate he’s up to the task, he’s still unproven.
Steele is coming off an extremely down season. He never regained form after his 2022 knee injury and is essentially playing for his job in 2024. He rated as one of the league’s worst pass protectors in 2023 and his run blocking was doing little to compensate for it. He’s a safe bet to start but there’s no telling how well he’ll play.
Even Zack Martin is coming off his own down season. He still ranked as a top-10 OG in 2023, but it was a noticeable drop from his previous standard. Maybe it was all due to nagging injuries. Maybe it was a sign of things to come for a player turning 34 this season who held out for financial guarantees last offseason.
The depth on the roster indicates the Cowboys are well positioned to cover any injury to the starting ranks. An injury wouldn’t be ideal but it’s not the kiss of death it has been in the past. Unfortunately, the starters aren’t quite the same standard of stability either. 2024 is a transition year for the Cowboys offensive line and a case can be made Dallas is taking a step back to develop in 2024 so they can take a step forward in the long run.
