The Dallas Cowboys had a defense to rebuild this offseason. To their credit, they’ve done exactly that, starting with the hiring of Christian Parker and finishing with several key additions. On the offensive side of the ball, meanwhile, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens are expected to build on last season’s momentum. At the same time, however, the offensive line is one area where Brian Schottenheimer could face a major concern heading into the season.

To put that into perspective, there is no major competition for the starting right tackle position in Dallas. In fact, the Cowboys are heading into the training camp with seventh-year tackle Terence Steele as a clear favorite. But if we look at his performance over the last few years, it won’t be unfair to say that the veteran has struggled tremendously.

The 29-year-old finished the 2023 season, allowing 8 sacks, 54 pressures, 7 penalties, 57.2 in run-blocking, and 45.9 in pass-blocking per Pro Football Focus. Those numbers only turned worse in 2024, when Steele allowed 9 sacks, 41 pressures, and 7 penalties, followed by 6 sacks, 52 pressures, and another 7 penalties in the 2025 season.

In short, the tackle has allowed 23 sacks over the past three seasons. While he has been a decent or even good run blocker at times, he has consistently struggled to protect the quarterback. This is why it’s fair to say that Schottenheimer, looking to start with Steele without making him earn a spot, could be a big mistake for the Cowboys’ 2026 season.

At the same time, this decision sounds even more shocking considering the left tackle position. Tyler Guyton is heading into the third season of his NFL career, but his first two seasons have been below par. This is why the Cowboys are making him earn his spot, as the 25-year-old is now competing against Nate Thomas.

While that decision made sense, The Athletic’s John Machota has added another layer to it. “It’s a competition between Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas, but Guyton is the clear favorite. He was the one running with the first team through minicamp practices. As long as he can stay healthy, Guyton should hold down that spot in his third season.”

Both Guyton and Thomas struggled to deliver consistent performances last season. So, even with competition at left tackle, uncertainty at the position remains.

The left tackle position is considered “a problem”

The biggest problem at Schottenheimer’s left tackle position isn’t the lack of depth. In fact, it’s that both the projected starter and the primary backup have struggled over the past couple of seasons. While the Cowboys did bring in Shiyazh Pete as an undrafted free agent, if they have to rely on Pete as their starting left tackle, it likely means the season has already gone off track. That’s exactly why the left tackle position has emerged as a major problem.

“A problem for this team across this season. And that’s the left tackle position. Obviously, right now, we all believe that Tyler Guyton is going to be this team’s starting left tackle in 2026,” Blogging the Boys’ RJ Ochoa said on X. “But how confident in that are we? The Cowboys basically have said that this is an open competition. And maybe that’s just coachspeak and something that they’re saying to motivate Tyler Guyton. But the reality of the situation is that right now, I don’t think there’s anybody who feels 100% satisfied or 100% confident in the plan or that there is necessarily a plan at the left tackle position.”

In the last two seasons, Guyton has struggled on the field while also suffering from injuries. He has already missed 9 games in his career so far. And even if he was available, the tackle has allowed 57 total pressures. Nate Thomas, meanwhile, doesn’t have a great resume either.

In fact, the 24-year-old has started only four games at left tackle. On top of that, he has also given up 28 pressures. But now, he’s in a competition to earn the starting left tackle job. Still, whether it’s Guyton or Thomas at the position during the season, Brian Schottenheimer seems to be facing a major hurdle.