FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys have added nearly 30 new players to the roster over the last two months, from a collection of free-agent signings, draft picks, undrafted free agents and even a few trades.
All in all, a third of the 90-man roster has been overhauled since mid-March, creating quite a few changes to each position.
Over the next few weeks, we'll take a closer look at where things stand at each position. The Cowboys won't release a depth chart until the first preseason game in August, so the following order of players is simply a projection, which of course, is always subject to change. Let's continue the series with the offensive tackles.
- Terence Steele
- Tyler Guyton
- Asim Richards
- Matt Waletzko
- Hakeem Adeniji
- Ajani Cornelius
Battle to Watch: At this point, Tyler Guyton needs to show everyone that he's the left tackle for this team. That's what the Cowboys drafted him to be last year and although his rookie season didn't meet expectations, Guyton is still the player to watch at left tackle. Now, Brian Schottenheimer has said numerous times this offseason that the five best offensive linemen will start. So if Guyton isn't among that group, it's likely the Cowboys will go with another option and maybe that would be Asim Richards. But Guyton is the leader in the clubhouse and the Cowboys will give him every shot to keep it.
Time is Now: While you could also throw Guyton into this mix, let's go with Asim Richards here. He's the one on the outside looking in and it's his third season. The Cowboys want him to be a rotational player and maybe the swing tackle but Richards won't give up the left-tackle competition without a fight. But the "time is now" mantra works for Richards because if he doesn't take advantage, the Cowboys will probably look at other options down the line.
Don't Forget About … The one draft pick in this class that hasn't garnered much attention is Ajani Cornelius. Even the players picked behind his sixth-round selection have more notoriety but Cornelius is a player who could push for a roster spot right away. He'll get the chance to compete against Matt Waletzko, Richards and Hakeem Adeniji for reps but how he plays in the preseason games will be vital, along with his ability to play both the left and right side.
