Tag: Terence Steele

3 key matchups for the Cowboys in Week 3 against Arizona

The 2-0 Cowboys face a familiar foe in Week 3 so today we look at three key matchups in their game against the 0-2 Cardinals.

The 2-0 Cowboys are understandably favored over the 0-2 Arizona team they’ll be facing in Week 3.

Dallas is widely considered one of the best teams in the NFL, while the Cardinals are in the running for the first overall pick in the 2024 draft.

But a loss on Sunday wouldn’t be the first time a heavily favored Dallas team fell to the Cardinals on the road. As Ben Grimaldi breaks down in his game preview, the Cowboys are 1-5 in their last six matchups in the dessert.

As history has shown, the better team hasn’t always won, and the Cowboys will need to win a few key matchups in order to ensure victory over their former divisional foe.

Cowboys, RT Terence Steele agree to 5-year contract extension

The Cowboys have awarded their right tackle with several years of financial security after his speedy recovery from an ACL injury. | From @KDDrummondNFL

Dallas has a slew of young stars who are eligible for contract extensions, with Trevon Diggs getting his big deal at the start of training camp. Now, with less than a week to go before the regular season begins, another young star players has inked a new deal.

While many fans thought CeeDee Lamb was going to be next up on the contract carousel for the Dallas Cowboys, that is not the case. The next offensive player to lock in for the long haul is right tackle Terence Steele, who has signed a five-year extension with $50 million guaranteed with the club as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Steele’s $17.36 million average salary places him eighth among NFL right tackles with Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson setting the pace at $21.2 million on average. Dallas now has Steele locked in through the 2028 season.

Prior to the extension, Steele was the 25th-highest paid right tackle.

Steele, a 2020 UDFA who was a shock installation as a starter following La’el Collins’ unavailability in Week 1 of that season, has never given the spot back. The Texas Tech native showed promise in holding down the right side next to Zack Martin and has built on that base each year since. His worth was obvious when he went down with a torn ACL in the back end of the 2022 season and was replaced by Tyron Smith.

The future Hall of Famer hadn’t played the right side since his rookie season and was a downgrade to Steele at the spot. Steele has had a remarkable recovery from his ACL and has now been rewarded with a new deal.

The three-year veteran was set to play the season on the second-round restricted free agent tender for $4.3 million.

Updates on 4 key Cowboys as training camp nears kickoff

A look at the four-headed monster of participation concerns as the Cowboys embark on a journey out west. Included, why Tony Pollard is different from other tagged RBs. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys are preparing to board a plane to Oxnard, CA so that they can get the ship going in the right direction. On Monday, the club will travel in advance of Wednesday’s start to training camp practice. While things seemed relatively smooth heading into July, things have been shaken up a bit by contract situations that are not ideal for the players in question.

Also, the team has a small number of injury concerns that may or may not impact eligibility to be full participants once the on-field work begins. Check below on the latest updates from ESPN’s Todd Archer on Zack Martin, Jourdan Lewis, Terence Steele and Tony Pollard.

Terence Steele’s uncertain future looms large for the Cowboys

Many questions surround Terence Steele’s future on the Cowboys like is he healthy, will he get his job back, and will he get re-signed? | From @ReidDHanson

Predicting the future in the NFL is never an easy task. Teams have strategies they don’t always share, players have ambitions they don’t make public, coaches have biases, competition is unpredictable and outside factors are always in play.

For the most part, the Cowboys seem to have a good handle on the various situations across the roster. They sound intent on re-signing top players like Dak Prescott, Trevon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. The exact terms are unknown, but most will agree Dallas will get deals done with them, one way or the other.

Terence Steele’s future isn’t quite so clear.

The Cowboys right tackle was having a career season in 2022 until an ACL injury brought it to a sudden halt. His absence from the lineup had enormous effects on the Dallas running game and proved Steele’s value almost immediately.

Steele, a restricted free agent this past March, was given a second-round tender to stay in Dallas for the 2023 season. Recovering from a significant knee injury and scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024, Steele’s uncertain future looms large.

There’s not only a question of health facing Steele in 2023, but a question of his role on the club. Early in the offseason the Cowboys reworked Tyron Smith’s deal to stay in Dallas another season. Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones candidly stated he wanted his rising star Tyler Smith to play LT while his veteran tackle Tyron Smith played on the right side.

The impact that such a proposal would have on Steele wasn’t lost on anyone in Cowboys Nation.

Subsequent discussions with the press opened up a range of possibilities for the Cowboys offensive line. How things play out in camp will likely dictate the final depth chart, and as such, Steele’s landing spot.

Steele’s rehab from injury is sure to play a key role in everything. Anyone who saw Tyron Smith fill in for him last season knows there was a falloff. Was that because Smith himself was just returning from injury? Was it because Smith hadn’t played RT since his rookie season?

It could be either or it could be both.

Can Steele get back to his pre-injury self?

Everyone saw Michael Gallup struggle to come back from injury in 2022. While Steele and Gallup play vastly different positions, Gallup’s struggles illustrate “back” isn’t always “back.”

Finally, there’s the question of whether the Cowboys even see Steele in their long-term future. They’ve been quite candid regarding their intentions with the other big name free agents to-be. Little has been said of Steele.

With market-setting deals incoming, it’s perfectly possible they’ve decided they cannot afford to keep everyone and some upper-to-middle-class players like Steele may be luxuries they cannot afford to keep.

As discussed in “What’s more important: depth or star talent?” it was concluded the middle-class tier of players were the most expendable. If Dallas really does intend to re-sign Diggs, Prescott, Lamb and Parsons, players like Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, Jourdan Lewis, Leighton Vander Esch and Steele could be seen as luxuries they can no longer justify.

Then again, the Cowboys may be looking to re-sign Steele to a bargain deal in camp since he’s coming back from injury and still young enough to theoretically hit the market two more times.

Although maybe there’s no deal to be had and he’s looking to take his talents to market next March. We just don’t know.

There are many uncertain elements in play and the answers won’t even begin to become known until training camp kicks off in Oxnard.

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It’s not too late for Cowboys to give Terence Steele an extension

With several big-name negotiations ongoing and on the horizon, it would be wise to spend time hammering out a deal with their young offensive lineman, says @ReidDHanson.

The Cowboys front office has a lot on its plate this summer. Not only are Trevon Diggs and CeeDee Lamb looking for new deals but Dak Prescott also requires a contract extension before his cap charge of nearly $60 million hits the books in 2024.

With the big-ticket items dominating the attention, it’s easy to forget about second-tier players like Terence Steele who are also looking for new contracts.

Steele, 25, is a homegrown success story in Dallas. The UDFA from Texas Tech started at the bottom of the food chain in 2020 . All he did in the years since is rise from one of the worst OTs in the league (PFF graded him as 76 of 79), to one of the best young tackles on the planet (graded as 23rd best OT in 2022).

Steele’s 2022 breakout season unfortunately came to a premature end when he suffered an ACL injury on December 11. Expected to be fully recovered in time for training camp, the Cowboys retained their restricted free agent for the 2023 season on a second-round tender.

At a cost of $4,304,000 Steele is one of the better bargains on the roster. Given his age and the value of offensive tackles today, he’d likely command almost three times as much on the open market. And if the Cowboys wait until 2024 to re-sign him, that’s likely what he’ll demand.

But 2023 offers a window of opportunity for Steele and the Cowboys. At the moment, Steele has little-to-no long term security. His tender is only for the upcoming season, he’s coming back from injury, and he may have to compete for a starting position.

Theoretically, Dallas should be able to talk the three-year veteran into a short-term extension that pays him more than the tender amount but less than the open market would offer.  A 2-3 year deal would ensure long-term financial security and still allow Steele to hit the market at age 27-28 (in his absolute prime).

This way the Cowboys would lock in one of the best run-blocking tackles in the league for a manageable price (possibly $8-$10 million APY range). Both sides have had discussions about an extension this offseason already but not much has been said publicly regarding demands or expectations. At face value, a short-term deal such as this benefits both sides.

Dallas has a little additional leverage this summer with Tyron Smith floating around as an option. In previous statements, Jerry Jones has said Smith is the expected starter at RT, thus bumping Steele to a swing or an inside role. That’s the last thing Steele wants before unrestricted free agency.

But those were words and oftentimes words today don’t match the reality of tomorrow. Looking at the 2022 season, it’s hard to walk away thinking Smith was a better RT than Steele. Smith hasn’t looked his like his previously-dominant self since mid-2021 and may not be the obvious starter in 2023, like some believe.

It stands to reason, a healthy 25-year-old Steele could win an open battle at RT and the depth chart in September will look much different from the one in July.

If Steele factors into the Cowboys long-term plans, Dallas may want to work out a mutually beneficial deal this summer while they have the leverage.

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The Cowboys are looking to find the right combination to unlock the best offensive line possible

The Cowboys have options along the offensive line, here’s a look at the three most likely combinations. | From @cdpiglet

The Dallas Cowboys have done a terrific job of filling the few holes that were in their roster. Exchanging Day 3 picks for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks, they upgraded their corner and wideout rooms. They made sure to bring back Leighton Vander Esch, Jonathan Hankins, and Donovan Wilson so the team doesn’t open up any new holes on the defense.

With Tony Pollard’s return, the only true question mark is how the offensive line will set up in 2023. Dak Prescott has proven himself as a deadly passer when the OL is good, and Pollard has been great, even behind an average line. What combination of offensive linemen makes the most sense for the team this season though? Here is a look at some of the options.

Did the Cowboys just reveal Terence Steele will be the swing tackle?

Recent statements from the Cowboys owner indicate the team isn’t planning to have the RFA penciled in with the starters. Is he being truthful? | From @ReidDHanson

Much can change between now and the start of the 2023 regular season but by the way things look and sound today, Terence Steele is going to be the Cowboys’ swing tackle.

Steele, 25, was given a second-round tender to stay in Dallas in 2023. The three-year veteran suffered an ACL injury late in 2022, but according to some reports, is on pace to return in time for training camp.

When talking about Steele at the owners meetings in Phoenix, Jerry Jones spoke plainly of his fourth-year tackle. “He should be the back-up tackle on both sides as we would look at it right today,” Jones said of Steele.

It was always a bit of a mystery how the various pieces would fit across the offensive line in 2023. The question is whether or not Jones’ words can be believed at this point in the offseason.

Tyler Smith blew many of his rookie expectations out of the water and excelled at both left tackle and left guard. Steele continued his run-blocking dominance at right tackle. Tyler Biadasz was a stable element in the middle while Zack Martin continued to show he’s the best in the business at right guard. Even the veteran Tyron Smith showed the old dog could still learn new tricks, playing at right tackle for the first time since his rookie season.

When Stephen Jones announced Tyron Smith would be returning for his 13th season, various options opened up to the team. Conventional wisdom said getting the five best players on the field together meant Tyron Smith would play LT, with Tyler Smith at LG, Biadasz at center, Martin at RG and Steele at RT.

Then the Cowboys expressed their desire to keep nurturing and growing Tyler Smith at left tackle. This led many to believe Tyron Smith could be the swing tackle with Steele manning the right. But Jones flipped the conversation on its head once again, this time pegging Steele for the supportive role and penciling in the two Smiths as the starting bookends.

Case closed?

Not so fast. Like many of Jones’ statements, this one left room for some wiggle.

“To me, what Steele does is be a part of a three man position look when you look at the tackles,” Jones said. “That is the best that we’ve ever been fixed. We have Tyron when he’s available and we have Steele there that’s going to get his snaps. And may get a lot of snaps. And then you have your young (player) Tyler who is just outstanding and has nothing but upside ahead of him.”

It’s not normal for swing tackles to get many snaps by design. Swing tackles usually get their snaps when injuries strike the starters. Yet, perhaps Jones is indicating he just expects Tyron Smith to eventually miss time. He did sneak in the “when he’s available” caveat, after all.

What it appears to show is that Dallas places a premium on the tackle position and isn’t as concerned with getting the five best on the field if it means leaving them potentially thin on the outside.

With Connor McGovern gone to Buffalo, the Cowboys have an opening at left guard. When asked how to fill it Jones said “we could address it in the draft, we could address it from the interior with a couple of our young guys.”

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Report: Cowboys to place second-round tender on RT Terence Steele

The tender allows other teams to offer Steele a new deal, but gives Dallas the right to match it or take a 2nd-round pick as compensation. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys are placing a second-round tender worth $4.3 million on right tackle Terence Steele.

Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News first reported the development Saturday, citing a person familiar with the team’s decision.

The 25-year-old came to Dallas as an undrafted free agent out of Texas Tech in 2020. The next season, he stepped in to replace La’el Collins during his suspension and stayed there even after Collins was eligible to return, sliding to left tackle only to fill in for an injured Tyron Smith. He’s been an every-game staple at right tackle ever since (prompting the release of Collins), but Steele was then lost in Week 14 of the 2022 season to a torn ACL.

Steele, reportedly “ahead of schedule” in his rehab, is a restricted free agent this offseason.

With a second-round tender, other teams have the right to reach contract terms with Steele by April 21. The Cowboys, however, retain the right to match that offer in order to keep him in-house. If they choose to let Steele go (to a club that offers him a ridiculous deal), the Cowboys would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation.

Cowboys Wire’s Reid Hanson laid out the nuts and bolts behind this strategy earlier this week.

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Cowboys expect pair of FAs to be ready for training camp

A pair of key Cowboys free agents are expected to be back for training camp, the question is whose camp will they be in. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys have decisions to make. Free agency’s tampering period starts March 13 while the franchise tag deadline is a week away on March 7. Two names that are at the top of the list for Dallas are running back Tony Pollard and offensive tackle Terence Steele.

The pair were key players in 2022 but injuries led to a derailment of Dallas’ offense. Steele’s torn ACL came during the regular season, and although Tyron Smith filled in admirably in pass protection, the run game suffered. Pollard’s broken leg in the divisional round sucked the life out of the offense in a loss to the 49ers. Amid the questions about their status as Cowboys, The Athletic’s Jon Machota reported that Dallas expects the two pending free agents to be back for training camp.

This seems like a run-of-the-mill tweet but it could confirm that the Cowboys plan on retaining both in the next month.

The running back situation in Dallas is a complex one. Pollard’s broken leg and high ankle sprain present concerns on if he’ll return to form for 2023. The franchise tag presents the team an opportunity to sign Pollard for a prove-it year coming off injury while the team could also move on from Ezekiel Elliott in the offseason. While those two are household names, the Cowboys could look to the draft for a replacement or developmental back.

Steele’s situation is much more simple. As a third-year undrafted free agent, Steele is a restricted free agent and it makes things easy on Dallas. A possible tender pushes teams away from paying the Texas Tech product. It would likelycost Dallas just $4.3 million to keep him at a minimum, with a $6 million tender almost assuring his return. Based on Machota’s tweet, it seems the team is moving forward expecting both to suit up again in 2023.

Could a tender tempt a team to take Terence Steele from Cowboys?

if the Cowboys don’t want to commit to Steele long-term, would it be better to get the draft compensation now rather than lose him for nothing in 2024? | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys have a handful of important roster decisions to make and not much time left to do it. NFL free agency begins on March 15 at 4:00 p.m., ET, which means Dallas must have their favorite pending free agents signed, tagged or tendered or they run the risk of losing said free agents to another team.

One player whose status is unresolved heading into the deadline is that of the Cowboys’ starting right tackle, Terence Steele.

With three accrued seasons under his belt, Steele becomes restricted free agent. The restricted status differs from the unrestricted variety because it allows Dallas to apply a one-year tender with the right to match any contract he may be offered by another team.

The Cowboys have three tender options at their disposal:

  1. A first-round tender which costs Dallas $6,005,000, but compensates them with a first-round pick if he signs elsewhere.
  2. A second-round tender which pays him $4,304,000 but compensates the Cowboys with a second-round pick if he goes elsewhere.
  3. A right of first refusal tender which pays him $2,627,000 but compensates Dallas nothing if he signs elsewhere.

All three tender options allow the Cowboys the right to match any contract he would receive by another team, but only the top two would compensate Dallas, should he move on.