As Dallas Cowboys fans digest the fallout from draft week, one of the underrated stories is the impact felt by OT Terence Steele. The veteran is coming off an underwhelming 2025 campaign, giving up a jaw-dropping 52 pressures last season while earning a Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade of 54.9, ranking 76th out of only 89 qualifiers. With this in mind, the team's fourth-round selection of Penn State tackle Drew Shelton had to catch Steele's attention.
Shelton is an interesting prospect given how much improvement and development he showed each college season. This was most evident in his improved pass protection, an area of clear weakness for Steele a season ago. Add in the fact that Shelton is incredibly fast for a player of his frame, and it is a great addition with the rookie projecting as the team's expected swing tackle.
With that said, if Steele shows the same struggles as a season ago, the franchise shouldn't hesitate to push the eject button and turn to the rookie. It is simply hard to believe that Shelton could be anything but more capable as a pass protector if the same version of Steele from a season ago is present in 2026.
Dak Prescott has one of the league's best receiving duos in George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, making each moment that the offensive line can buy incredibly important. A passing offense having such a liability up front gives the franchise a clear reason to move on from Steele if another option presents itself.
Cowboys OT Terence Steele on Notice After Dallas Drafts Clear Threat
Expectations heading into the 2026 season for Dallas are higher than they were a season ago, and their dynamic receiver tandem, coupled with the offseason improvements to the defense, are the reasons. All of this adds up to the Cowboys having every reason to carefully monitor the development of Shelton and consider making a move, changing the starting lineup if the rookie impresses.
For Steele, this should be a wake-up call that even a high-dollar contract won't protect his starting job if his play doesn't improve. Prescott is an aging starter who already has two serious career injuries, and quarterbacks rarely get healthier as they age.
Steele put the signal caller in harm's way far too often, leaving an opportunity for Shelton, with the rookie serving as a warning to the veteran. Regardless of how it plays out, it is great for Dallas to have the depth option and for fans to have a potential position battle brewing heading into the summer. While Steele might remain the starter, there is plenty of reason to wonder how long that will continue to be the case.
More Dallas Cowboys News and Rumors:
Add us as a preferred source on Google