Free agency follows the hiring of coaches and Dallas’ newest assistant could bring any number of offensive linemen with him.
One of the oldest tenets of the NFL, at least since the early 1990s, is that new coaches like to steal from their old teams when they relocate. One needs to look no further than Dan Quinn pilfering Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler and Noah Igbinoghene from the Dallas Cowboys once he became Washington’s head coach.
With Brian Schottenheimer moving up from offensive coordinator to head coach from within the organization, there isn’t any opportunity there, but his new offensive coordinator could assist in that regard. Klayton Adams has been named the Cowboys’ newest assistant, and he spent the last two seasons as the Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach under Jonathan Gannon.
With that, the gaze immediately turns to the Cardinals list of 2025 free agents, and it just so happens that several of their offensive linemen are free agents. Three of those are of particular interest to Dallas.
First and foremost is Kelvin Beachum. The 13-year veteran is still going strong at 36-years old, grading at a 75.4 (out of 100) in pass protection according to Pro Football Focus. In fact, Beachum has graded out green or better (green and blue are the positive ranges) every season since his rookie campaign in 2012.
With Dallas having to give serious consideration to replacing Terence Steele this offseason, Beachum may be the perfect bridge player. In fact, two of his three highest-graded games were as the starter at left tackle. At minimum, Beachum should be an immediate addition as the club’s swing tackle, and then Dallas can consider things from there.
Also to be considered is Evan Brown. The 29-year old was the Cardinals starter at left guard, playing over 97% of the team’s offensive snaps in 2024.
Brown graded out as a 73.5 in pass protection, allowing two sacks on the year. Brown is a journeyman, former UDFA who began seeing consistent starter minutes in 2021 with Detroit, while also playing in Seattle before joining Arizona in 2023. This was his first full season playing left guard, lining up at center in 2021 and 2023, and right guard in 2022.
That brings up Will Hernandez. Hernandez was always associated with Dallas during the 2018 draft, as a UTEP product who was caught working out with several of the team’s linemen throughout the process.
Hernandez played in just five games this season before suffering a severe knee injury. The team never detailed what kind, but it’s believed to have been an MCL, not an ACL. If so, his recovery for 2025 could be to the point he could pass a physical in March.
Henderson was a second-round pick of the New York Giants, No. 34 overall, who has had an up-and-down career. 2024 was the best ball of his career prior to the injury, and he has spent the last four seasons at right guard after his first three at left guard.
The Cowboys could be in the market for a right guard with Zack Martin headed to free agency and also contemplating retirement.
The Cardinals options don’t end with Hernandez, as the player who replaced him in the starting lineup — Trystan Colon —is also set to hit free agency.
With four options, all with starting history, it would probably be more of a shock if one or more didn’t end up in Dallas to join Adams.
