It has been an interesting start to Tyler Guyton’s NFL career.
The Dallas Cowboys have gotten off to a tumultuous start to the 2024 regular season. Currently sitting at 2-2, there have been some reasons for optimism, but just as many causes for concern throughout Dallas’ first four games.
Coming into the season one thing the Cowboys were very optimistic about was their young additions to the offense line, including 23-year-old Tyler Guyton. Dallas selected the former Oklahoma Sooner with their first-round pick, hoping he would be their left tackle of the future.
Guyton earned the starting spot in training camp, aided by an injury to veteran tackle Chuma Edoga, and was thrust into action at one of the toughest positions in football right away. Unfortunately for Guyton and the Cowboys, so far the results haven’t met expectations.
Four games into the season Guyton has allowed 11 pressures, six QB hurries, and four sacks, all near the top of the league among all starting offensive tackles. While the pass blocking has been less than ideal, Guyton’s biggest issue has been his inability to avoid being penalized. The seven called and five accepted penalties against Guyton are the most by any offensive linemen in all of football.
Guyton’s early-season struggles have started to get his name on people’s radar for the wrong reasons. The penalties are really at the core of the 23-year-old’s slow start.
Rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton may or may not agree with the NFL’s officiating, but the number of penalties he and other Cowboys have already committed is “alarming,” Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said.
According to Natalie Miller of USA Today’s Draft Wire, Guyton has been called for a penalty a league-high seven times. The blindside protector has also surrendered four sacks, which ranks among the league’s worst.
Early struggles aren’t entirely unexpected. Guyton is transitioning from right to left tackle while also filling the shoes of future Hall of Famer Tyron Smith.
There’s no denying Guyton hasn’t gotten off to the start he or the Cowboys would have hoped for, but panicking about his long-term future this early is crazy. It’s very rare for young offensive linemen to come into the NFL and play clean football right away. Like any other 23-year-old tackle, Guyton is just going through some normal learning curves as he adjusts to playing at the highest level.
Guyton has the physical traits to be a star left tackle. While he may not be one right now, doubting the Cowboys’ first-round pick after just four games is downright foolish. At season’s end, we’ll likely be looking at a completely different player as Guyton continues to get more familiar and improve every week of the season.
