Is it possible we are overvaluing what the Cowboys have on the offensive line just based on the past and not factoring in age and yearly wear and tear? It's one of my great fears coming into this season, that this line just isn't as good as we think it is. I hope I'm wrong and hope you can help me put some of that nervousness to rest. _– Jason Clarke/West Boylston, MA
Nick Eatman: Sorry, I really don't understand the question. Overvaluing? Overrating? Underrating? It's all relative to the person doing the valuing and rating. But it doesn't matter what era of football you're watching the offensive is always crucial to the success or lack of success to a team. If you can't block, you can't do anything. If you can block and knock people out of the way, then it's much easier to move the ball up and down the field. It's pretty simple. So how good is this O-line? We'll find out but I do think they've added a lot of pieces to the puzzle here with the hope that it can be a very good O-line by the time the season starts.
Kurt: I wish I could put your nervousness to rest, but truth be told, I'm a little fearful about the offensive line as well. The thing is, though, this should be a dominant group. Pro Football Focus has them ranked sixth going into the 2023 season while the consensus among others is that they are at least among the NFL's top 10. In other words, it should be as good as we think it is. However, there are also legitimate concerns lurking. Will right tackle Terence Steele be fully recovered from his ACL injury? Can left tackle Tyron Smith stay healthy? If he's not, who plays left guard when Tyler Smith kicks outside? Is center Tyler Biadasz still on the rise? And will the group buy in to whatever changes, both on the field and off, that new offensive line coach Mike Solari brings. Then to top it off, now there's the uncertainty of right guard Zack Martin. While his contract situation will likely work out fine in the end, if somehow it doesn't, well, that could alter the offense's entire season. But for now, as training camp is set to get underway, there's no sense in worrying too much about worst-case scenarios. Until proven otherwise, this offensive line is simply one of the best.
