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FRISCO, TX — With so many different positions of need for the Dallas Cowboys, it's refreshing to discuss one that is so easily kept intact, and that's at offensive guard and center going into the 2026 season, and beyond.
The use of a first-round pick on Tyler Smith and, in 2025, Tyler Booker look like master strokes by the Cowboys' front office, and the coaching staff have developed (are continuing to develop) them into absolute monsters at the NFL level. Cooper Beebe, a former third-round pick, also came on strong in Year 1 and Year 2 was only slowed by injury, though he is again fully healthy and ready to show what he can do in Year 3.
There are only three free agent offensive guards in Dallas at the moment, and keeping two of them (see my takes below) will keep this position rock-solid going forward so that Dallas can focus on other areas that truly need their attention.
Welcome to this year's Open Market series (full series is inside the link).
What's Here:
Brock Hoffman: I'll be completely honest with you here, and it'll lightly undermine the entire purpose of this column, but that's fine by me because science doesn't care about anyone's feelings. Go ahead and re-sign Hoffman. Make it all so easy on yourselves, Cowboys. He's a restricted free agent, so you control the rights to if he stays or goes, having the Right of First Refusal, and Hoffman is a bully, lunch pail worker that sets the tone when he's in games; oh, and he can play both of the guard positions, and center, and will likely be had for the veteran minimum.
TJ Bass: Surprise surprise, but I feel the same way about Bass. The demeanor is a little different between the two best friends, Bass being the more subtle of the two but, on the field, they're the same kind of smashmouth player. Bass feels a step behind Hoffman in development, but he's definitely a gamer, and also a restricted free agent. With the two starting positions at guard all sewed up, there's no need to overthink this: keep Hoffman and Bass in the building.
Rob Jones: It wasn't the season Jones had envisioned when he signed a one-year deal with the Cowboys last offseason. The 27-year-old was off to a strong start in minicamp and training camp but suffered a broken bone in his neck in Oxnard, a scary injury that ended his season in Dallas before it could ever begin. If Jones is healthy and ready to try again, it's possible the Cowboys give him a mulligan at some point this offseason.
What's Out There:
Note: These players will be unrestricted on March 11, barring a newly-signed deal with their incumbent team prior to that date. (Market value, when available, provided by Spotrac)
John Simpson: If for whatever reason the Cowboys make the decision to let Hoffman and/or Bass walk, get ready to pay more for either a comparable talent or, obviously, an upgrade, behind Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker. Simpson falls into that category, a former fourth-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, Simpson has been consistent and solid, and also durable, having not missed a single game in the last three seasons. In Dallas, that alone is a pretty big deal for an offensive lineman. (Market value: $6.3M annually)
Dalton Risner: I really liked Risner coming out of Kansas State where, by the way, where he just narrowly missed being coached by Conor Riley. He'd eventually go to the Denver Broncos with the 41st-overall pick and made the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2019, making good on my love of him. He's since logged 92 starts in 101 games through three clubs, the 30-year-old most recently being a key part of what turned out to be Joe Burrow's best O-line in the QB's career. This deal should be of the two-year variety with a team option after Year 1. (Market value: $2.4M annually)
VIP Club ($10M - $18M annually)
- Tyler Linderbaum
- Alijah Vera-Tucker
- David Edwards
- Connor McGovern (BUF)
- Dylan Parham
- Isaac Seumalo
- Joel Bitonio
- Cade Mays
- Zion Johnson
- Kevin Zeitler
These names deserve mention only because of their caliber of play but, make no mistake, they simply do not make sense for a Cowboys' team that has the future at both left guard and right guard, and center, already in the building.
