Tag: cowboys offensive line

Cowboys offensive tackle bookends looking up at NFL tandems

According to one list, no Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle was listed among the Top 32 options in the league for 2024. | From @BenGrimaldi

The Dallas Cowboys are going through a period of transition along their offensive line this offseason and that led to the team drafting two linemen this past April. Tyler Guyton, their first-round selection, was a right tackle who will be moving to the left side with the Cowboys.

Despite his immense potential, Guyton remains an unknown, leaving the offensive line without a top tackle for the first time in a long time. PFF recently ranked the Top 32 tackles in the NFL ahead of the 2024 season and no Dallas player made the cut.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that neither Guyton, nor starting right tackle Terence Steele made the list. Guyton will be a rookie protecting quarterback Dak Prescott’s blind side, and it’ll be a switch in sides for the young LT. Dallas believes Guyton has what it takes to become another of their All-Pro caliber offensive linemen drafted, but he’ll have a bumpy road on the way to hopefully making the list in the coming years.

The Cowboys know what they’re doing when it comes to drafting offensive line prospects. Since they drafted LT Tyron Smith in the first round of the 2011 draft, each of their four first-round OL picks have become All-Pros, and it’s never taken them longer than three years to achieve that honor.

On the right side, Steele needs to rebound from a rough year. The Cowboys put their faith in him after two solid campaigns at RT and gave him a hefty contract extension before the 2023 season began. Unfortunately, the veteran RT was coming off a torn ACL injury and wasn’t the same player. The expectation is that Steele will be back to his old self another year further away from the serious injury.

When he’s healthy, Steele is a good RT who excels in paving the way for the running game as one of the better run blockers in the league. He’s never made a Pro Bowl, but with his work ethic and the improvement he’s shown throughout his career, Steele is capable of being a Top 10 RT. However, it’s no surprise he didn’t find his way onto the list.

What is interesting about the rankings from PFF is who did manage to be named among the top tackles. Former Cowboy and current New York Jets LT Tyron Smith ranked as the seventh best tackle in the league, which shouldn’t come as a shock. When healthy, Smith is one of the best LTs in the league and is coming off an All-Pro year. The veteran LT routinely found his way on this list when he was a member of the Cowboys, yet he wasn’t retained for the upcoming year.

The Philadelphia Eagles have both of their tackles listed among the Top 10 in the league. LT Jordan Mailata came in at number five on the list, while RT Lane Johnson was right behind him, ranking sixth. It’s disheartening to see rivals rank so highly on a list where the home team isn’t represented.

Another NFC East team was also represented, New York Giants LT Andrew Thomas was listed as the 11th best tackle in the league. It was an injury-plagued year for Thomas in 2023, but in 2022, the LT was among the best LTs in the game.

Dallas’ defense will line up against 15 of the Top 32 tackles and will play against five teams who have two tackles ranked inside the list. The Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all have their bookend tackles ranked inside the Top 32. In total, the Cowboys will play 10 games against some of the top tackles in the league. San Francisco 49ers’ LT Trent Williams topped the list, and Dallas will line up against him in Week 8.

It’s been a long time since there wasn’t a Cowboys tackle rated highly around the league. Smith was a staple among the top talents at the position, but the team decided not to bring him back for a 14th season. With a rookie and a rebound candidate at both tackle spots, the Cowboys have the potential to have someone on the list for next season, but they don’t have an elite tackle on the roster in 2024.

You can chat with or follow Ben on twitter @BenGrimaldi

After lackluster showing and amid injury concerns, here’s how Cowboys OL can bounce back

The Cowboys offensive line struggled last week in Buffalo here’s what they need to bounce back in Week 16 against the Dolphins, says @ReidDHanson.

They say games are won in the trenches and in many ways, that’s pretty spot on. Dominant offensive lines have a way of making things easy on the skill players. And dominant defensive lines have a way of erasing even the best QBs and RBs.

As the Cowboys offensive line gears up for their next big opponent, the pressure is on to get back on track and reclaim some of their midseason dominance.

The group is coming off what many consider one of their worst performances of the year. Aside from Tyron Smith at LT, every player seemed to struggle in some way. Terence Steele, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz and even Zack Martin (before his injury sidelined him) struggled. They only faced seven blitzes on passing attempts, but pressure still came.

The offensive line saw gains in the running game but some of that yardage was essentially gifted. The Bills rarely crowded the line and decided they’d rather give up some yards on the ground, as long as it led to success stopping Dallas through the air. The plan worked out.

The crew faded down the stretch last season as well, and never seemed to recover. If one thing can help them through the next few weeks and into the postseason, it’s a rekindled offensive line.

With Tyron Smith’s and Martin’s status in question for Sunday, they may be at less than full strength. T.J. Bass could be called upon to man the RG position on Christmas Eve in Miami, meaning Steele and Biadasz will have to pick up the slack. But it’s not all on the linemen.

The playcaller also has a part in the offensive line’s redemption. Well-designed plays and an effective quick-game strategy will keep the pressure of sustaining blocks down to a minimum. On plays in which Dak Prescott was pressured last week, the average time to throw sat at 4.47 seconds. That’s a long time for anyone to maintain a block.

A quicker trigger doesn’t just apply to Prescott’s arm but also his legs. By being a threat to run, pass rushers will be more apprehensive in their attacks. They’ll maintain their lanes and try to contain. It’s a win-win for Dallas since Prescott will either get scramble opportunities or more time in the pocket. But he has to establish that run threat early.

Looking at the big picture, a better performance by the offensive line isn’t just on the five men up front, but on the whole team. Play design needs to be made with them and the defense in mind. QB play has to be smart and decisive. Even the defense plays a role since it’s on them to keep the score close so the offense doesn’t have to be one-dimensional.

There are a lot of areas the Cowboys have to improve in Week 16 but better outcomes on the offensive line would indicate things are going well all over the field. It’s a good week for redemption.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Cowboys’ offensive line struggles have this fairly simple explanation

The Cowboys have lacking continuity across their offensive line which explains their struggles with both phases of the game. | From @ReidDHanson

Continuity. It’s a frequently discussed, yet often underrated factor in life. For the Dallas Cowboys, continuity extends beyond the coaching staff and into the ranks of the players themselves. Continuity on the roster brings familiarity and stability.  It provides unspoken connections between teammates which can be enormous for certain aspects of the game.

Continuity helps defenders adjust to motion as they redefine run fits. It helps coverage players understand when and where to pass off assignments. And it helps offensive lines perform as a singular unit in both phases of the game. It’s that last item which seems to be holding the Cowboys back this 2023 season.

The Cowboys entered the season expecting good things from their offensive line. It’s a healthy mix of veterans and rising stars, who are primarily homegrown. They know how each other plays, what each other expects and the different strengths and weaknesses of their line mates.

Despite the lofty expectations, the Dallas offensive line has largely underachieved this season. They’ve struggled opening holes, getting up field for second-level blocks, and protecting the passer. Individually, there have been a few standouts, but as a unit, it’s been disappointing.

The Cowboys composite grade gained from PFF film grades, SIS scores and ESPN’s metrics show the Cowboys are sitting in the middle of the pack. The offensive line hasn’t been a disaster, but it hasn’t been an asset either.

It’s important to keep in mind, quarterback Dak Prescott is averaging just 2.62 seconds on all drop backs. Per PFF, only nine passers have a lower time to throw this season, so he isn’t asking much of his offensive line.

Yet on passes delivered in under 2.5 seconds, Prescott is pressured the eighth most in the NFL, at a pressure rate of 7.1%.

Why such pedestrian play?

Continuity. Or rather, lack thereof.

While teams like Kansas City has had the same group playing 446 snaps together, the Cowboys’ most frequent combination has played just 92 snaps. Dallas’ second most frequent combination has also played 92 snaps. Their third most frequent combination is at 90 snaps. No grouping has played more than 23.1% of the snaps together.

Per Sumer Sports, 42 different combinations around the NFL have played more snaps together than the Cowboys most frequent starting unit.

Now there’s word Tyron Smith has a neck injury that’s limiting him in practice. Such a situation could further inhibit Dallas’ offensive line from gaining continuity.

With any luck, things will stabilize and the Cowboys top grouping will finally get some snaps under their belts. While most of the individuals have played together before and know each other well, they are using a new blocking scheme under a new coach this season. There’s that continuity thing again.

Whether it’s a child’s home life in their developmental years, a business’ leadership structure and core objectives, or a coaching staff’s styles, strategies and playbooks, continuity is an important component.

Things should improve up front if the Cowboys can just keep their linemen on the field together. If they can’t, the continuity concerns will likely continue.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Mitch Hyatt will need to play to his strengths, experience to earn role with Cowboys

As training camp approaches there wont be much discussion as to four of the five starting spots on the offensive line.

There isn’t much to discuss as to three of the five starting spots on the Dallas Cowboys offensive line. Tyron Smith, La’el Collins and Zach Martin are locked in and thanks to a shortened offseason, Connor Williams is likely a lock too barring a switch to a different position. The center position will require monitoring as there will be a battle between Joe Looney, Tyler Biadasz, and possibly Connor McGovern, who had 14 career starts at the position while at Penn State.

However the swing position at offensive tackle may be one of the more important camp battles across the entire roster. There is a chance one of the reserve offensive lineman on the team plays starting snaps at some point during the regular season especially with some of the nagging injuries Smith has dealt with. The Cowboys are young and experienced behind there two book end offensive tackles but they do have a former five-star recruit and two time National Champion who could be ready to fill in if need be, in second-year pro Mitch Hyatt.

Hyatt was signed by the Cowboys as a undrafted free-agent in 2019. He struggled throughout the preseason and was released on August 31, but was signed back to the practice squad on September 2. Hyatt was promoted to the 53 in December but did not see any game action.

After a stellar collegiate campaign, it was surprising to some Hyatt went without being selected, but his play strength was going to be an obvious impediment in making the transition to being a pro player. That was evident in his early time with Dallas, but the biggest question is whether the delayed offseason allowed him the proper opportunity to improve in the necessary areas to make an impression on Mike McCarthy, Joe Philbin and the new offensive coaching staff.

Early Days

Hyatt attended North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, Georgia where he was a five star offensive lineman prospect. He was named a U.S All American and was ranked the No. 2 recruit in Georgia and the No. 23-ranked player in the class.

Hyatt had a decorated career at the University of Clemson, wining two National Championships in the 2016 and 2018 seasons. He came out the gate strong as a freshman and was the first, first year freshman to start an opener at offensive tackle since 1944. Hyatt started 15 games that season and was named freshman all-american by Sporting News and USA Today while receiving third team All-ACC honors.

Much of the next three years was continued growth for the four-year starter and a two-time All American. He accumulated 3,754 snaps over 58 games, starting 57 of them. He holds the school record for career snaps from scrimmage and career starts.

Scouting Report

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

STRENGTHS: Coordinated shuffle to stay square to rushers…sets up quickly to maximize body position…leaks outside to occupy linebackers…assignment sound and accomplishes his mission…stubborn at the point of attack, using his grip strength to latch and stay engaged…adequate length rolls his hips at contact to reinforce his anchor…tough–minded approach was instilled in him at a young age…heightened awareness for the position…team captain and competes with an edge…durable and finished with 57 starts on his collegiate resume.
WEAKNESSES: Folds like a cheap suit once rushers reach his chest…average athleticism…doesn’t play with lower body twitch, struggling to recover vs. shifty rushers…tends to overset, opening inside rush lanes…plays short–armed in his pass sets…needs to eliminate the holding penalties…comes with core strength concerns, allowing rushers to rock him backward…doesn’t have the frame to maul in the run game…bad habit of leaving his feet as a blocker.
SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Clemson, Hyatt stepped in as the Tigers’ starting left tackle once Isaiah Battle unexpectedly left the team for the 2015 Supplemental Draft, becoming the first Clemson true freshman to start at tackle since 1944 (Phil Prince). Nicknamed “Mr. Dependable” by head coach Dabo Swinney, he leaves the program with the records for career snaps (3,754) and starts (57), missing only one start the last four seasons because he was late to a meeting. Hyatt is a smart,efficient mover, keeping his feet in sync with his upper body to mirror in his pass sets. He needs technique work to keep rushers from his body, lacking the functional strength to reset his anchor or sustain if his body position isn’t pristine. Overall, Hyatt relies more on angles, spacing and quicks than power and length to get the job done, which will create long-term problems at the next level, projecting as an NFL backup at tackle or guard.
GRADE: 5th Round

2020 Outlook

[protected-iframe id=”eafcab090f7f7aad293051c838bca240-105974723-178773432″ info=”https://www.mockdraftable.com/embed/mitch-hyatt?position=OT&page=GRAPH” width=”480″ height=”651″ frameborder=”0″ scrolling=”no”]

Hyatt has a chance to win the swing tackle job in camp but he must have taken a clear step forward and show the coaches he has fixed some of the issues he dealt with last off season. He struggled significantly handling the strength of pro rushers when they were able to get inside his chest. He also must cleaning up his technique and footwork. Hyatt will be competing with veteran Cameron Erving, Brandon Knight and rookie Terence Steele as well as any unknown player from outside the organization.

Not winning the swing tackle job won’t be the end of his chances of making the game-day roster, though. The NFL has expanded those from 46 to 48 as long as one of the players is an offensive lineman. With practice squads deeper and the flexibility to move players up and down without risking them to other teams, there’s potential for Hyatt and any of the young pups to latch on.

[vertical-gallery id=650836][vertical-gallery id=650630][lawrence-newsletter]