FRISCO, Texas – Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that veteran Terence Steele and newly acquired Broderick Jones would be competing for the starting right tackle job.
Schottenheimer said he called Steele, who has started 91 games for the Cowboys primarily at right tackle over the last seven years, to deliver the news after the team made the trade to acquire Jones.
"As you can imagine, Terrence Steele was the ultimate pro," Schottenheimer said. "'Schotty, I get it, I appreciate the phone call. You didn't have to make the phone call.' And I said, 'I did, because I respect that you that much as a teammate and a player.' Broderick will be competing with Terence to be the starting right tackle of this football team."
Jones, who the Cowboys traded a third- and sixth-round pick for in exchange for Jones and a fourth-round pick on Saturday, will focus solely on the right side according to Schottenheimer. Another phone call was made from Schottenheimer to Tyler Guyton, who he says is not impacted by this move.
"I wanted to make sure Tyler Guyton understood that this has nothing to do with him," Schottenheimer said. "He's playing his tail off, he's doing great. At some point, as the competition becomes clearer, everybody has to swing. But right now, left tackle Tyler Guyton backed up by Drew [Shelton], and then right tackle is a competition between Terence and Broderick."
In 13 days, the Cowboys open their season against the New York Giants against Sunday Night Football. The competition may not be decided by then.
"Terence obviously is the right tackle 1A, and Broderick has to show that he can do that," Schottenheimer said. "So no one's saying Terence isn't going to be the starter, we're saying that Broderick was brought here for a reason…. It will be a lot of fast learning for Broderick, and Terence Steele is very, very excited about his opportunities to win the job and stay in the position that he's held for a very, very long time here."
In his first week as a Cowboy, Jones joins a team that will be ramping up this week according to Schottenheimer, beginning with practice on Monday and followed up with early practices on Tuesday and Wednesday to be on the grass and get used to the Texas heat.
There'll also be the beginnings of the competition, which Schottenheimer is looking forward to watching.
"He'll be learning on the fly, but I've seen right tackles and receivers and DBs come in and play within a week, really a couple days," Schottenheimer said. "We'll see how he does learning, but he's a very talented young man and we think he and Terence will have a heck of a battle."
Steele, who also had his contract reworked earlier in the offseason and was challenged by Schottenheimer during training camp as well, has taken everything in stride.
"Elite professional," Schottenheimer said. "Terence is just one of those guys… We need to figure out the right way to get him his work, but also not overwork him. He's played a lot of football around here. He's never asked for a rep off, ever. Ever. So that's a little bit of us having to find, 'Okay, what's the right way to do this? You are competing now with Broderick.'"
"The conversation with him was very easy. That's what you love about the guy. And I wouldn't bet against Terence Steele."
