Tag: Matt Waletzko

Cowboys’ offensive line already accounts for almost 25% of ’24 salary cap

Following the money spent on the offensive line finds Dallas’ depth impressive but two big holes have to be filled. | From @ArmyChiefW3

Budgeting for the offensive line is not an easy task as this group, whose numbers normally hover around 10 every season, can consume a large portion of a team’s salary cap. Even when only one player is paid top dollar, the amount of money spent on linemen can be a burden based on sheer numbers. With so many teams across the league scrambling for viable options, Dallas has assembled a cast of young hopefuls that could provide depth for the next few years.

The Cowboys will need to address the starting left tackle position this offseason, and although the upcoming draft is full of options, bringing back Tyron Smith could be the smart play. So could an agreement with center Tyler Biadasz, who is slated to hit the open market for the first time in his career. Here’s a rundown of what is currenly on the ledger for the group going into 2024.

Cowboys 53-man roster for Week 17: Activating OT, waiving LB and how latter can return

The Cowboys are adding OL depth but taking it from the LBs. Here’s the 53-man and PS, along w/ an explanation of how Rashaan Evans can play Sat. despite his elevations being up. | From @KDDrummondNFL @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys are beefing up an offensive area of concern for the regular season stretch run, including Saturday against the Detroit Lions, and for the playoffs. But to do it, they’re cutting depth on the defensive side.

The club waived linebacker Rashaan Evans on Wednesday and activated offensive lineman Matt Waletzko from injured reserve. Evans has an interesting potential path back to the roster.

Waletzko, a 24-year-old swing tackle who was a fifth-round draft pick out of North Dakota in 2022, suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason and had his 21-day practice window opened on Dec. 6. The 6-foot-8 Waletzko appeared in just three games last year as a rookie before an issue with his other shoulder forced him to injured reserve.

Left tackle Tyron Smith missed another game in Week 16. His backup, Chuma Edoga, and right tackle Terence Steele have struggled at times this season. Waletzko has impressed when healthy enough to play or practice; his considerable size may come in handy for a unit that’s allowed 14 sacks over the past four outings.

Evans joined the Cowboys practice squad as a free agent in October and after being elevated the maximum three times, he was added to the active roster in mid-November.

NFL rules state that if a player reaches his maximum of three elevations and is then added to the active roster, he can get the elevation counter reset and rejoin the practice squad if he clears waivers.

So if no other team wants Evans, for themselves or simply to handcuff a fellow playoff contender, he could be back on the Cowboys and active again for the Week 17 game against Detroit.

The sixth-year veteran has appeared in nine games, amassing 71 defensive snaps and logging nine tackles. He also played 79 snaps on special teams.

The linebacker position has been tough for Dallas in 2023. Leighton Vander Esch was lost to a midseason injury that some fear may be career-ending. Third-round draft pick DeMarvion Overshown went down for the year with a preseason injury.

Damone Clark has seen heavy usage as a result, but the 2022 fifth-round pick out of LSU has been hit-or-miss with his production.

With Evans gone, Tyrus Wheat, Malik Jefferson and Buddy Johnson are the team’s other options at linebacker; the latter two are on the practice squad.

Here’s a look at the club’s full 53-man roster and 16-man practice squad, noting which of the PS guys still have elevations remaining to try and help the team get win No. 11 against Detroit on Saturday night.

Pressure on Ball, Waletzko to step up on Cowboys offensive line

The Cowboys drafted Matt Waletzko and Josh Ball to be viable options down the road – based on what’s going across the O-line, the time’s now. | From @ReidDHanson

Call it unrealistic expectations or just good old-fashioned impatience, but the time for former draft picks Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko to step up their game is now. After a boatload of offseason hype, both players have largely underwhelmed in camp, causing concern on the Cowboys offensive line.

On Saturday, the two lined up side-be-side in the starting lineup for the club’s 28-23 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the exhibition opener. Each played exactly 50% of the team’s offensive snaps, 36 to be exact.

Both Ball, a fourth-round pick from 2021, and Waletzko, a fifth-round pick from 2022, came to Dallas with some buzz about them.

They experienced rocky seasons in 2022 but were expected to rebound significantly in 2023. They were frequently mentioned throughout the offseason by Cowboys coaches and executives as players to watch and cited as reasons why more wasn’t done to address the offensive line.

As former mid-round draft picks, they come with certain expectations. They each had high-ceiling skillsets and impressive physical traits to work with. They just have to put it together. Given the current state of the Cowboys offensive line, that time needs to be now.

Dallas’ offensive line situation has been a growing concern in camp. All-Pro guard Zack Martin has been sitting out all summer in a contract dispute while Terence Steele is working his way back from a significant knee injury.

Tyler Biadasz has missed time at center and the Cowboys primary free agent acquisition, Chuma Edoga, recently went down in a scary moment which required him to be carted off the field.

The depth of the line is truly being tested and the Cowboys desperately need their two pedigreed linemen to rise to the occasion.

The Cowboys don’t intend to use their remaining starters much (if at all) in preseason games so opportunities for down-roster players will be plenty. Dallas requires viable options down the ranks should the injury bug attack their offensive line again in 2023.

The Cowboys need to find viable options on their roster and Waletzko and Ball are the best equipped to be those options. It’s time to start fulfilling the potential because concerns are growing, and the offensive line could potentially sink this extremely explosive offense.

Expectations are still Martin and the Cowboys will settle their differences and he’ll be back by Week 1, but that’s not as automatic as it once seemed.

Regardless of Martin, the Cowboys need at least three viable options down the ranks and the progression of Waletzko and Ball is probably their best chance at achieving that.

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Next Men Up: These 11 Cowboys are primed to takeover big roles

The Cowboys have a ton of depth, but also a ton of pending FAs. Here’s who will look to use 2023 to springboard into more prominent roles. | From @KDDrummondNFL

It’s a dog eat dog world in the NFL. In most cases, the competition is fierce but friendly. Veterans know their job is not just to perform, but to help in the development of younger players who could eventually push them for playing time. As the goal of each player is (normally) to win as a team, the overall talent level of a club’s depth is an important part of reaching that end.

It’s not always friendly, but the camaraderie of the league in general lends itself to this mindset more often than not. For the Dallas Cowboys, that would be highly beneficial in 2023 because there’s are many veterans currently on the 90-man roster who have expiring deals and the money is earmarked for the select few big-name veterans.

While teams can use accounting magic to make anything work, the Cowboys will likely sacrifice some veterans in order to carve out big chunks of cash for Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. Here’s a look at who could be a cap casualty of that chopping of the pie, and which young players are primed to replace them.

Cowboys ‘feel great’ about Josh Ball, Matt Waletzko; will likely still draft OL early

From @ToddBrock24f7: McCarthy says Waletzko is rehabbing nicely from injury and Ball will play both tackle and guard, but offensive linemen are always in demand.

When it comes to offensive linemen, more is always better as far as the Cowboys are concerned.

“I don’t think you can ever have enough of them,” Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said Monday during the team’s pre-draft press conference, “and Mike [McCarthy, head coach] would agree with that. We should be drafting one, you’d like to hope, in the top three or four rounds every year.”

Dallas made it their No. 1 priority last year, taking Tulsa’s Tyler Smith with the 24th pick. All the rookie did in return was step in for an eight-time Pro Bowler and lead the entire team in snaps for the season.

So forgive the Cowboys brain trust if they lean toward getting right back in that line with the 26th overall pick this weekend.

Even with perennial All-Pro Zack Martin, the impressive Tyler Smith, a returning Tyron Smith, up-and-comer Terence Steele, and a very solid Tyler Biadasz, the Cowboys admit they still have a need up front.

“You look at Cincinnati last year, where they were trying to struggle through the injuries,” Jones added. “You look at Kansas City over the years, trying to get through the injuries. We had our share of injuries last year, of course, with Steele and Tyron missing quite a bit of time. You can’t have enough of those guys. That’s why we do put a premium on drafting them.”

Dallas indeed had to scramble to put together a front five for much of the season. Tyron Smith missed the start of the season with a hamstring tear; he hasn’t played a full campaign since 2015. Matt Farniok and Matt Waletzko were both lost to season-ending injured reserve in October. Steele suffered a major knee injury in December. Josh Ball, who had sat out his 2021 rookie season on IR, came in for Steele and foundered badly.

Connor McGovern, though injured himself, was asked to do a lot at multiple positions- some not even on the offensive line- but he’s in Buffalo now.

The Cowboys signed Chuma Edoga in free agency, but he played just 55 snaps for Atlanta last season; the team may not know yet exactly what they have there.

So yes, plan on Dallas calling a big, beefy lineman at some point this weekend.

But that’s not to say they’re putting all their chips on finding another plug-and-play starter like Tyler Smith.

Despite his disastrous debut versus Houston, third-year man Ball will be expanding his role for the team. McCarthy confirmed that he’d play “guard and both tackles” in 2023.

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He’s not the only young lineman the coach is expecting to see step up this year; McCarthy told reporters he feels “great” about both Ball and Waletzko.

“Matt’s having a great offseason. He obviously had the surgery, so he’s knocking it out of the park there. And Josh, I think, clearly, will work more inside than out. He does a tremendous job in the offseason program, things like that. I’m excited to see those guys play in the preseason. They’re ready. We’ve just got to get them battle-tested. They’re making all the progress you look for in his your second- or third-[year] players. They’re right on schedule.”

So the numbers are coming back around for the Cowboys and new offensive line coach Mike Solari. But the reality is, the line likely won’t be at full strength for long.

“It’s just inherent that you’re going to have injuries in that area,” Jones explained. “So consequently, you like to have, in a perfect world, eight or nine guys that you feel comfortable going in the game. But they’re all protecting big-time assets. We all see what people are paying quarterbacks these days. Those guys up front have the biggest responsibility of keeping them upright.”

Looked at through that lens, it seems like a lock that Dallas will add another lineman or two to help protect their $40 million man, Dak Prescott.

The question is, when will they turn in that card?

Tennessee tackle Darnell Wright may be there late in the first round. The gargantuan Dawand Jones out of Ohio State and Alabama’s Tyler Steen are other possible options in the first two rounds.

As for guards, O’Cyrus Torrence out of Florida and TCU’s Steve Avila look to be early picks, as well as North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch.

“You trust in your process,” McCarthy concluded.

So far, the process for the Cowboys seems to be constantly restocking the shelves at offensive line… maybe sooner rather than later, given the recent roster shuffles there in Dallas.

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Cowboys Waletzko’s first year a wash, but heavy load could soon come

Injuries curtailed Waletzko’s season, but there’s an obvious path to importance sitting ahead of him in 2023. | From @ReidDHanson

Matt Waletzko entered the 2022 NFL draft with a bit of a cult following. The left tackle from North Dakota was last year’s most popular small school lineman. Following in the footsteps of Quinn Meinerz a year before, Waletzko became many people’s favorite non-FBS sleeper.

Joining the Cowboys as a fifth round pick, Walezko faced an uncertain situation on the offensive line. On one hand, positions seemed to already be in place for the 2022 season. On the other hand, health (Tyron Smith) and inexperience (Tyler Smith) made the preseason depth chart anything but gospel.

Walezko’s own injury situation ultimately made everything moot. The 6-foot-7 305-pound tackle was drafted with an injured shoulder, but Dallas originally had plans to give him a key reserve role out the gate. The injury was something he played through when he impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl and something he hoped he could play through in his rookie season with Dallas.

Two additional subluxations later, and Waletzko’s season was over before it ever had a chance to get off the ground. In total, he played just 11 snaps his first year in Dallas; 10 of which were special teams.

While disappointing, it wasn’t unexpected. Small school players are often drafted with a certain degree projection in mind. Given the level of competition, they don’t typically enter the NFL with the same degree of readiness a player from, say, a Power-Five conference player would.

Walezko is a long and athletically gifted player with good movement and elite measurables. He’s similar in build to fellow Cowboys tackle, Josh Ball, but plays much differently. Waletzko has abnormal movement and balance for a man his size. He knows how to use his enormous 86-inch wingspan and can keep his hips loose in pass protection.

Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones allowed that Dallas saw Waletzko as a left-side player, so ideally he’ll be the backup heading into 2023. Whether that assessment still holds with Joe Philbin out and Mike Solari in remains to be seen, as does who he’d be backing up. Will Dallas retain Tyron Smith and install him back at left tackle or will second-year player Tyler Smith get his permanent posting there?

Meanwhile, right tackle Terence Steele was Philbin’s greatest success story, but is a restricted free agent this offseason, so that might be a wild card that enters the equation.

Waletzko’s not polished and will need development before he can be considered anything above a backup at the moment but he has starter ability and is set to enter camp in 2023 with a healthy left shoulder for the first time.

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Report: Cowboys rookie OL Matt Waletzko to get surgery, likely to miss remainder of ’22

The fifth-round pick suffered his third shoulder sublaxation in a year on Thursday; he’s expected to get surgery and sit out until 2023. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Matt Waletzko has been on the field for exactly one snap with the Cowboys offense as a rookie.

At least the play was a big one; it will likely be Waletzko’s only offensive snap of the season.

Both the team and the rookie tackle have known he would need surgery to repair a recurring shoulder issue. He had hoped it would wait until the offseason, but on Thursday, the 6-foot-8-inch lineman’s luck ran out.

Waletzko suffered a sublaxation- his third in a year- during practice and is expected to miss the rest of the 2022 campaign, as per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

The fifth-round draft pick first suffered the injury to his left shoulder during his senior year at North Dakota and missed the final game of the 2021 college season. He was able, though, to play in the Senior Bowl and participate at the scouting combine.

But in just the Cowboys’ second practice in late July, the injury resurfaced during a drill. He was escorted off the field by trainers and missed most of the rest of training camp.

The 22-year-old finally made his Dallas debut in the team’s third preseason game against Seattle. He played five special teams snaps in Weeks 1 and 2 combined, and then six more against the Giants in Week 3, when he also was put in as a sixth blocking lineman for one play alongside fellow rookie Tyler Smith.

Waletzko and the beefed-up Cowboys line helped spring Ezekiel Elliott for a 1-yard touchdown run in the 23-16 primetime win.

A sublaxation- defined as a partial dislocation- becomes more common the more it happens. While Waletzko was able to strengthen the joint twice before to return to playing shape, he increased the likelihood of re-injuring the shoulder each time.

The Cowboys have decided that three times is enough, and that surgery that was always going to be needed just got moved up the to-do list.

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Report: Cowboys rookie OL Matt Waletzko could delay surgery, play in 2022

The rookie tackle has responded well to rest and rehab. He could start the season on IR, which would make him eligible to play this season. | From @ToddBrock24f7

When they selected him in the fifth round of the most recent draft, the Cowboys put plenty of expectations on the shoulders of 22-year-old Matt Waletzko.

Now there’s a great deal of hope resting on just one of the tackle’s sizable shoulders, the one with the dislocated joint that will require surgery.

But Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News reports that the 6-foot-8-inch rookie may be able to postpone that operation until the offseason and find his way back to the field during the 2022 schedule.

The paper cites “two people familiar with his progress” with the update.

Waletzko suffered the injury- termed a subluxation- during his senior year at North Dakota, causing him to miss the final game of the season. Still, he was named first-team all-conference and impressed at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.

But the injury resurfaced in just the Cowboys’ second practice, on July 28. He was escorted off the field by trainers and has been out ever since.

Reports suggest that rest and rehab work since then has been good for the Minnesota native, and while surgery on the shoulder is a matter of when– not if– for Waletzko, further progress could make him available sometime this season and delay the procedure until afterward.

Assuming Waletzko makes the final 53-man roster on Aug. 30, the team could place him on injured reserve. He would be available to return after four missed games.

The swing tackle position is of significant interest for the Cowboys offensive line, with Tyron Smith already limping this preseason and Terence Steele now officially the permanent starter after the departure of La’el Collins.

Second-year man Josh Ball took over at swing following Waletzko’s injury and saw heavy playing time against Denver in the team’s first preseason game. It was his first game action in 20 months, and it showed.

Waletzko’s availability for the regular season could be the deciding factor in whether the club pursues outside veteran help at the position.

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Cowboys OL depth takes early blow with Matt Waletzko injury

Dallas planned to let youth be served behind Tyron Smith on the OT depth chart. An early injury may force them to dive into their cap space. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys avoided going the veteran route this offseason; something that is unfamiliar in recent constructs of the offensive line depth. Normally the club has a veteran swing tackle on hand to back up the likes of Tyron Smith and formerly La’el Collins. In 2018 and 2019 it was Cam Fleming. 2020 brought on Cam Erving and 2021 saw Ty Nsekhe as the import. However 2020’s lost season for Collins brought about the starting career of UDFA Terence Steele, who subbed in for Collins during suspension in 2021 and led to the former LSU product’s release this past spring. As free agency came and went, Dallas decided against have the vet swing on the roster.

Part of that, as recently explained by executive VP Stephen Jones, is the club’s confidence in the young core of tackles they’ve accrued. First was 2021 fourth-round pick Josh Ball, who redshirted his rookie year. Dallas augmented that with Matt Waletzko, a fifth-round selection out of North Dakota. The club seemed genuinely excited about both of their prospects, but may now need to re-evaluate their stance on veteran depth. Waletzko suffered a shoulder injury in Thursday’s second practice of training camp and though surgery isn’t needed, will apparently miss some time.

For a small-school rookie, missing training camp can be a death sentence to the chance to contribute in Year 1. The speed and strength of the game is hard enough to acclimate oneself to. Missing the repetitions in camp and preseason and then trusting that guy on the edge to protect $40-million-a-year QB Dak Prescott is probably not going to be the wisest idea.

Dallas has a contingency plan, of course. First-round pick Tyler Smith was a tackle at Tulsa and is seen by some to be the presumptive heir apparent to Tyron Smith at left tackle. He could slide out if needed while Connor McGovern or another interior depth guy moves into the lineup at right guard.

Ball, according to Jones earlier in the offseason, is seen as a right tackle only for now and would backup Steele.

If Waletzko is kept on the offseason roster, the club will have the option to put him on the 53-man roster and then move him to IR. In that scenario, he can play sometime during the season. If the club places him on IR now, his season is over.

Aviante Collins and Amon Simon are the other tackles on the roster, with the latter being a UDFA out of Texas A&M Commerce and the former a fourth-year vet who spent time with New Orleans in the past.

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3 Things to know about Cowboys Day 3 pick, OT Matt Waletzko

A look into the Cowboys’ most interesting fifth-round selection, the North Dakota tackle. | From @TimLettiero

In a draft heavy on need-filling picks, former North Dakota Fighting Hawk OT Matt Waletzko may have a shot at seeing some time on field this year with the Dallas Cowboys. The fifth-round pick is a strong athlete for his position and seems to have a lot of promise. The circumstances dictate he can see the field, even as a fifth-round rookie.

Franchise LT Tyron Smith is still an elite player but has been unavailable due to injury a lot over the last few seasons. Starting RT Terrence Steele showed a fair amount of promise last season with immense improvement from his 2020 campaign but his consistency is the question on everyone’s mind. Behind these two are Josh Ball and Aviante Collins. Between those two and Waletzko, the Cowboys will work to identify their swing tackle of the future. Here’s how Waletzko arrived in the NFL.