The Dallas Cowboys fell short of expectations during the 2025 campaign and will miss the NFL playoffs as a result. With another year passing without the opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl championship, odds seem strong that personnel changes will be on the way in Dallas this offseason.
While it might not impact his spot on the roster, 2024 first-round pick Tyler Guyton could very well have seen his time at left tackle come to an end after he was placed on the IR. The offensive lineman appeared in 10 contests for the Cowboys this season, starting in all of them. Unfortunately, his play on the field left plenty to be desired, and Brian Schottenheimer might be best served seeing if Guyton can make a greater impact in a different spot along the line.
The Cowboys' Tyler Guyton Experiment at LT Should Come to an End
There are several reasons why Guyton's time at left tackle could, and likely should, have come to an end as soon as he was placed on IR. Guyton was selected in the first round by the previous coaching staff with the belief he could ultimately develop into a dependable line of defense to protect Dak Prescott's blindside. Two years into this experiment, the results have not come close to the initial hopes the franchise had for the lineman, as penalty issues and inconsistencies have plagued Guyton throughout his tenure in Dallas. Now, Schottenheimer must pivot.
For Guyton, a move to right tackle would be the natural first step in finding other areas in which he could be of assistance. The potential for this move would go up greatly should the front office elect to release Terence Steele this offseason, which would not be surprising in the slightest, given his issues in pass protection throughout the 2025 campaign. Entering Week 17, Steele ranked among the worst tackles in the league in terms of total pressures allowed, hits allowed, and sacks allowed. That simply isn't good enough when the franchise has invested as much as it has in Prescott leading the offense.
This would also allow for the front office to address the LT position via free agency or through the draft, something Dallas should have the ability to do in the early going as the Cowboys own a pair of first round picks in 2026. Seeing Schottenheimer push to use one of those selections on the offensive line would make sense.
One way or another, Guyton has shown enough to prove he isn't the long-term answer at left tackle.