Despite all the shuffling, the Cowboys offensive line appears to be getting better

The Cowboys offensive line has been figuring things out amid all sorts of chaos.

The Dallas Cowboys took a big leap of faith this offseason when they let Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz leave in free agency. With the foresight of a deep offensive line draft class, the team made a concerted effort to get younger, ultimately using a first-round pick on Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton and Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe after a trade down.

The Cowboys also loved what they have in some of their young depth guys like Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, and Asim Richards. Collectively, they felt good about what had with their savvy veterans and young players. After a good showing in training camp, both the rookies had secured starting jobs, and the Cowboys’ offensive line overhaul plan was in full swing.

The season started with the following offensive line arrangement:

• LT Tyler Guyton (rookie)
• LG Tyler Smith (third-year, All-Pro 2023)
• C Cooper Beebe (rookie)
• RG Zack Martin (11th-year, All-Pro 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
• RT Terence Steele (fifth-year)

The team was prepared to accept the expected growing pains with two rookies with both of them playing different positions than they played in college. It was bumpy, but a necessary evil that hopefully would pay dividends later. This unit stayed consistent in the beginning part of the year, but when things started to turn, it got messy in a hurry.

On the season, the Cowboys have endured several injuries along the offensive line. Martin was lost for the year in Week 11 when he required season-ending ankle surgery. Smith hurt his knee against Houston and missed the following game against Washington. Beebe suffered a concussion against the Bengals 14 and has missed last week’s game against Carolina.

Injuries have hit the reserves as well. Asim Richards went on injured reserve with an ankle injury and T.J. Bass left Sunday’s game with a thigh injury. Veteran Chuma Edoga finally returned to the field in Week 13 after starting the year on IR with a toe injur, but finds himself on the injury report again.

All of these injuries have impacted the Cowboys’ offensive line, but the one that has caused the most dominos to fall is the re-occurring unavailability of rookie Tyler Guyton. His rap sheet for the year is not pleasing to the eye.

• Week 5 – exited the Pittsburgh game with a knee injury, missed the following game against Detroit
• Week 9 – exited the Atlanta game with a neck/shoulder injury, missed the following game against Philadelphia
• Week 11 – exited the Houston game when he aggravated his shoulder (when he picked up a fumble and tried to run)
• Week 12 – benched during the Washington game
• Week 13 – exited the New York game with a high ankle sprain, missed the following game against Cincinnati

All the injuries have shaken things up, but Guyton’s absence has created a lot of shuffling along the offensive line. Here are the 11 different offensive line arrangements the Cowboys have had so far this season…

That’s a lot of movement.

There is good and bad in all of this. For starters, it’s rough to see Martin go out this way as this could be the last time we see him in a Cowboys uniform (or any uniform for that matter). It’s also unsettling that rookie Guyton is having fits, both in health and performance. Penalties, whiffs, and constantly being nicked up don’t inspire a lot of confidence for what the Cowboys hope is their future left tackle.

There are some good things too. Steele has played 100% of the offensive snaps this season after leading the team with 99% of the offensive snaps played last season. His availability is a pleasant surprise considering the bad knee injury he suffered in 2022. He’s been looking better recently after getting past that wave of Defensive Player of the Year opponents he faced in the first part of the season.

The transition to center is no problem for Beebe as he’s looked good all season. And the jump in progress for Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass makes people feel better about what life will be like without Martin as the interior offensive line has shockingly played well without him.

The Cowboys played with fire by relying on so many young undeveloped pieces to make up the bulk of their offensive line and they have certainly been burned a time or two, but this young group is taking some promising steps forward. There is still work to be done, but when you consider all the moving around that the line has endured, it’s surprising things haven’t completely fallen apart. Thanks to the talent and versatility of this squad, the Cowboys offensive line keeps on truckin’.