The Dallas Cowboys will be on the hot seat to vie for a Super Bowl title heading into year 2 of the Brian Schottenheimer era and build off the Mike McCarthy years where the team was consistently very good but not great. The Dallas offense was one of the best in the sport during the 2025 season despite Dallas having a rookie head coach and a rookie offensive coordinator. As both of those coaches go into year 2 with Dak Prescott the offense will be expected to take the next step heading into year 2. The personnel that the team has to go along with the coaching will also loom large for Dallas next season. Here I will go into detail assessing the offensive line personnel that the Cowboys have headed into year 2 of the Prescott/Schottenheimer era in Dallas.
Set to start at left tackle is 2024 1st rounder Tyler Guyton who has underwhelmed thus far in the NFL but whom the jury is still out on. Guyton had a poor rookie season and then played at a below average rate in year 2 in the NFL during this past 2025 season. Guyton still has not put together a full season of starter snaps and still showed strong improvement from year 1 to year 2. Perhaps as he heads into year 3 with a more experienced coaching staff, he can start to live up to his potential.
Currently slated to start at the left guard spot is former 1st rounder Tyler Smith who is a very strong starting NFL player. Smith in limited time in the NFL has already warranted three pro bowl selections and a second team All-Pro selection as well and is one of the premier guards in the sport today. Smith has made the pro bowl in every season outside of his rookie year and has shown elite capabilities as both a pass protector and as a run blocker.
At center 2024 3rd rounder Cooper Beebe is set to start for the Cowboys and is also a high-level NFL starter. Beebe has graded in the above average range in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. Beebe is not a star at his position like Tyler Smith is, but Beebe remains an above average starter. Perhaps as Beebe heads into year 3 with a more experienced coaching staff, he can emerge as a star instead of just being a solid above average starter.
Set to start at right guard during this upcoming season is 2025 1st rounder Tyler Booker who had an outstanding rookie season which was one of the best rookie seasons by any player in league history. Booker graded in the top 20% among players at his position despite being a rookie which is almost unheard of. Booker is in line to emerge as one of the premier offensive lineman in the sport during this upcoming season.
Terrence Steele is set to start at right tackle during this upcoming season and is the current weak link in Dallas’ starting offensive line although having some talent. Steele in six seasons in the NFL has graded in the above average range only once among players at his position but was borderline elite during that season. Steele has also consistently been a very strong run blocker for two straight seasons now while showing capabilities as a pass protector as well.
From a reserve standpoint on the offensive front the Cowboys have some notable names that could provide the team with some high-end capabilities off the bench. Guard Trevor Keegan has played at an above average level in very limited NFL snaps thus far. Interior offensive lineman Matt Hennessy has consistently produced at a well above average clip on the offensive line taking mostly reserve snaps. While guard T.J Bass was listed as a starter on the Cowboys’ offensive front for much of the offseason and is one of the premier reserve players at any position in the NFL as of now. Bass was the #1 ranked guard in the NFL last season in terms of pass protection according to Pro Football Focus while also consistently grading as an above average run blocker. The team’s interior offensive line depth is likely the best in the NFL as of now although they do lack depth at tackle. But perhaps the Dallas coaching staff and front office is optimistic that they can stay healthier at tackle and/or perhaps they feel like young unproven reserve tackles will step up in the case of injury. Or that even some of the highly capable interior offensive linemen that they have a surplus of can transition to playing tackle smoothly in the case of injury.
The Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line is in line to be perhaps the premier offensive line in the sport during this upcoming 2026 season. A breakdown of the unit can be found below.
Projected 2026 Cowboys’ Starting Offensive Line
LT – Tyler Guyton – 2024 1st rounder, C so far, still in line to improve and live up to potential
LG – Tyler Smith – B+ to A-
C – Cooper Beebe – B to B-
RG – Tyler Booker – B+ to A- as rookie in 2025, 2025 1st rounder, in line to become superstar after historic rookie season as 1st rounder
RT – Terrence Steele – C+ to B-, high ceiling but inconsistent
Notable 2026 Cowboys’ Reserve Offensive Linemen
G – Trevor Keegan – B- in 41 career snaps, 2024 5th rounder
C/G – Matt Hennessey – B+
G – T.J Bass – A to A-, maybe premier reserve offensive lineman in NFL
