Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith set at tackle, Dallas Cowboys trying Terence Steele at guard
The Dallas Cowboys have made it clear that improving the pass blocking and fixing the offensive line is one of the primary focuses of the offseason.
Part of that process is deciding who starts up front and where.
The team is seemingly intent on going with Tyler Smith at left tackle and aging veteran Tyron Smith at right tackle, Tyler Biadasz at center and Zack Martin at right guard.
The big question is who plays left guard following the departure of Connor McGovern to the Buffalo Bills in free agency.
Tyler Smith, a 2022 first-round pick, began is rookie season with the focus on left guard.
But he played so well left tackle after Tyron Smith, suffered a hamstring injury in the preseason and missed the first 13 games of the season, that the Cowboys have no interest in moving him back there.
And, per owner Jerry Jones, the team plans to start eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith, who took a pay cut to remain with the franchise, at right tackle.
It has made former starting right tackle Terence Steele seemingly the odd man out. Steele has started at the position the past two seasons but missed the last four games of 2022 with a torn ACL.
He will be healthy and ready to go for 2023.
But it appears he will return as the backup at tackle.
Tyron Smith ended the season there and the Cowboys believe he is a better run blocker though Steele is a superior run blocker.
Jerry Jones said Steele should be the swing tackle.
“He should be the back-up tackle on both sides as we would look at it right today,” Jones said at the NFL Owner’s Meetings in Phoenix.
While the Cowboys signed veteran offensive lineman Chuma Edoga as an option to start at left guard, the team also plans to give Steele a look at the position, per coach Mike McCarthy.
“I mean we’re talking about it. Yeah, we’re talking about it,” McCarthy said. “We haven’t got in there with those guys yet. Offseason program starts in April, but yeah we’ll definitely … we’re looking at all those things.”
McCarthy said position flex remains important because the Cowboys haven’t had a set group of starters up front since he took over as coach in 2020.
He would like the same group to start all 17 games in 2023.
Of course, the team’s plans of counting on Tyron Smith at right tackle makes it all dicey.
Tyron Smith has not started a full season since 2015. He has missed at least three games every year since 2016.
And over the last three seasons, he has missed more games (32) than he’s played in (17).
Jerry Jones’ vision of Steele as a swing tackle might be even more on point as he could be back starting at right tackle at some point during the season.
“To me, what Steele does is be a part of a three man position look when you look at the tackles,” Jones said. “That is the best that we’ve ever been fixed. We have Tyron when he’s available and we have Steele there that’s going to get his snaps. And may get a lot of snaps. And then you have your young (player) Tyler who is just outstanding and has nothing but upside ahead of him.”
