FRISCO, Texas – With the 2025 regular season now behind the Cowboys, it's time to look ahead to 2026, where they'll try to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
As they begin to do so, our "What's Next" series will examine each position on the roster and look at the past, present and future of the room and the players within it. We'll continue the series with the offensive line:
Past:
For a franchise that has produced some of the best sets of offensive lines in NFL history, the bar is certainly high when it comes to the Cowboys and O-line. And while the 2025 season wasn't a bad one by any means, it didn't exactly meet the lofty standards we've seen in the past. Back in the 1990's, the O-line was dubbed the "The Wall" with names such as Nate Newton, Mark Stepnoski, Erik Williams, Mark Tuinei and Larry Allen paving the way.
Just recently, The Wall 2.0 was formed behind the trio of first-round picks in Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin. And while the Cowboys have recently picked a trio of offensive linemen in the last four drafts, only Tyler Smith has made it to the Pro Bowl. The building blocks are in place, however, for the Cowboys to get back to their dominance up front.
Present:
So what does the O-line look like for the 2026 season? Right now, Tyler Guyton is still pegged as the left tackle with Tyler Smith to stay at left guard. Cooper Beebe returns for his third season at center, with Tyler Booker coming off a strong rookie year and he'll be back to right guard. Terence Steele, the veteran of the group with 91 career starts, is at right tackle and still has three years remaining on his contract. His average of 16.5 million per season ranks Steele 12th among all right tackles.
If the Cowboys decide to part way, they would save more than $9 million in cap space, but then again, would need to find a right tackle. There has been plenty of tackle regarding a possible move for Guyton out to right tackle, a spot he's played in college. Then again, that would leave the Cowboys searching for a left tackle. Nate Thomas played in all 17 games with four starts. The Cowboys gave Thomas some chances to play both left and right tackle, giving him a decent amount of experience as he enters his third season, although he missed his entire rookie year due to injury.
Future:
Just like the Cowboys did from 2011-14, when they picked three O-linemen in a four-year stretch, they've done the same in the last four, picking Tyler Smith, Tyler Guyton and Tyler Booker. Could they add another piece to that puzzle this year? Only time will tell for the Cowboys, who do own two first-round picks, but considering how bad things were defensively, it's hard to think both of the first-rounders won't be used to addressed defense. But then again, by the draft, we'll have a good understanding what the Cowboys have done – or not done – in free agency.
One wouldn't think drafting a left tackle would be the play, but as the Cowboys have stated many times, there was never a plan to take a wide receiver in 2020 until CeeDee Lamb fell in their lap. So we can't rule out anything. Also, for now it appears Tyler Smith is going to stay at left guard but Brian Schottenheimer said his meeting with Smith after the season discussed the possibility of leaving it open for him to move out to left tackle at some point. Smith did start the final three games at left tackle but it sounds as if he would like to remain at guard, where he made the Pro Bowl the last three years.
