Regardless of all of the shuffling, the Cowboys offensive line seems to be getting higher

The Dallas Cowboys took a giant leap of religion this offseason once they let Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz depart in free company. With the foresight of a deep offensive line draft class, the group made a concerted effort to get youthful, finally utilizing a first-round choose on Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe after a commerce down.

The Cowboys additionally beloved what they’ve in a few of their younger depth guys like Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, and Asim Richards. Collectively, they felt good about what had with their savvy veterans and younger gamers. After a superb displaying in coaching camp, each the rookies had secured beginning jobs, and the Cowboys’ offensive line overhaul plan was in full swing.

The season began with the next offensive line association:

LT Tyler Guyton (rookie)
LG Tyler Smith (third-year, All-Professional 2023)
C Cooper Beebe (rookie)
RG Zack Martin (Eleventh-year, All-Professional 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
RT Terence Steele (fifth-year)

The group was ready to just accept the anticipated rising pains with two rookies with each of them enjoying totally different positions than they performed in school. It was bumpy, however a obligatory evil that hopefully would pay dividends later. This unit stayed constant to start with a part of the 12 months, however when issues began to show, it bought messy in a rush.

On the season, the Cowboys have endured a number of accidents alongside the offensive line. Martin was misplaced for the 12 months in Week 11 when he required season-ending ankle surgical procedure. Smith harm his knee towards Houston and missed the next recreation towards Washington. Beebe suffered a concussion towards the Bengals 14 and has missed final week’s recreation towards Carolina.

Accidents have hit the reserves as nicely. Asim Richards went on injured reserve with an ankle damage and T.J. Bass left Sunday’s recreation with a thigh damage. Veteran Chuma Edoga lastly returned to the sphere in Week 13 after beginning the 12 months on IR with a toe injur, however finds himself on the damage report once more.

All of those accidents have impacted the Cowboys’ offensive line, however the one which has brought about probably the most dominos to fall is the re-occurring unavailability of rookie Tyler Guyton. His rap sheet for the 12 months shouldn’t be pleasing to the attention.

Week 5 – exited the Pittsburgh recreation with a knee damage, missed the next recreation towards Detroit
Week 9 – exited the Atlanta recreation with a neck/shoulder damage, missed the next recreation towards Philadelphia
Week 11 – exited the Houston recreation when he aggravated his shoulder (when he picked up a fumble and tried to run)
Week 12 – benched through the Washington recreation
Week 13 – exited the New York recreation with a excessive ankle sprain, missed the next recreation towards Cincinnati

All of the accidents have shaken issues up, however Guyton’s absence has created a whole lot of shuffling alongside the offensive line. Listed here are the 11 totally different offensive line preparations the Cowboys have had up to now this season…

That’s a whole lot of motion.

There may be good and unhealthy in all of this. For starters, it’s tough to see Martin exit this manner as this may very well be the final time we see him in a Cowboys uniform (or any uniform for that matter). It’s additionally unsettling that rookie Guyton is having matches, each in well being and efficiency. Penalties, whiffs, and consistently being nicked up don’t encourage a whole lot of confidence for what the Cowboys hope is their future left deal with.

There are some good issues too. Steele has performed 100% of the offensive snaps this season after main the group with 99% of the offensive snaps performed final season. His availability is a nice shock contemplating the unhealthy knee damage he suffered in 2022. He’s been trying higher not too long ago after getting previous that wave of Defensive Participant of the Yr opponents he confronted within the first a part of the season.

The transition to middle is not any drawback for Beebe as he’s seemed good all season. And the bounce in progress for Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass makes individuals really feel higher about what life will probably be like with out Martin as the inside offensive line has shockingly performed nicely with out him.

The Cowboys performed with fireplace by counting on so many younger undeveloped items to make up the majority of their offensive line and so they have definitely been burned a time or two, however this younger group is taking some promising steps ahead. There may be nonetheless work to be completed, however when you think about all of the shifting round that the road has endured, it’s shocking issues haven’t utterly fallen aside. Because of the expertise and flexibility of this squad, the Cowboys offensive line retains on truckin’.

Do not look now, however the Cowboys now have the fourth-best run-block win fee within the NFL. I might not have predicted that final result after shedding Zack Martin for the 12 months, however right here we’re. pic.twitter.com/Oick7jiWf7

— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) December 18, 2024