The Dallas Cowboys are forced to make changes to their offensive line as they are dealing with multiple injuries at once. Cooper Beebe is already expected to miss at least another month, standout rookie Tyler Booker is dealing with an ankle injury and just missed Week 4, and now Tyler Guyton remains in concussion protocol, putting his Week 5 status in jeopardy.
As they are almost always the case, injuries present opportunities for players further down the pecking order. For the Cowboys, one of those names will be Nate Thomas, who just saw the first offensive snaps of his NFL career against the Packers. Getting a chance when Guyton left the game and Terence Steele was briefly getting medical attention, Thomas did well in the 17 snaps he played. According to Pro Football Focus, he didn't allow any QB pressures, hurries, or hits, holding his own despite seeing time at both left and right tackle.
Nate Thomas Has Earned a Bigger Opportunity in Dallas
For Cowboys fans who have been paying close attention, maybe this shouldn't come as that big of a surprise. During training camp, both Brian Schottenheimer and VP of player personnel Will McClay heaped praise on Thomas. Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones had similarly said in July that Thomas was "having a really good camp for us. He has exceeded expectations. He's serious-minded about what he's doing out there. We do feel like we have some good players there that can certainly do the job," per The Athletic's Jon Machota.
While it is a great start for Thomas to back up his impressive training camp with a solid debut, the seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft has a long way to go. Being a late-round pick, followed by missing your entire rookie campaign with knee tendinitis, certainly puts you behind the eight ball. So far, Thomas has done a masterful job clawing himself out of the unfortunate situation he was in, but he now has an excellent chance to earn a large role.
Guyton has been less than stellar to start his second season. His pace of development is nowhere near where the organization wanted it to be at this stage of his career. With Guyton potentially missing Week 5 with a concussion, Thomas has the perfect opportunity to get the starting job and potentially never let go.
The fact that Thomas was used both at right and left tackle against the Packers highlights the coaching staff's trust in him. Even if the Cowboys want to give Guyton more time upon his return, Thomas will be the next man up behind both him and Steele. Considering where he was this time last year, this is a great accomplishment for Thomas and speaks volumes to his hard work. Where his Cowboys career goes from here will be fascinating to see.