Do the Dallas Cowboys already have some controversy at one of the most important positions on their roster? That was the question on people’s minds after head coach Brian Schottenheimer informed everyone that Tyler Guyton will need to earn the starting left tackle position, competing with fellow third-year tackle Nate Thomas.
The job of protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside isn’t something they’ll just hand over willy-nilly, so the table is set for this year’s first position battle. This has created a little uneasiness among the fanbase. Is a first-round investment slowly falling out of the good graces of the Cowboys’ coaching staff?
While it’s natural to be interested in Guyton’s progress, treating the news of a position battle as a massive red flag is a bit premature. Looking at his development from last year’s shows a player with an upward trajectory. He showed noticeable improvement in his raw mechanics, including better footwork that allowed him to do a better job matching edge rushers rather than routinely playing catch-up. He does a better job of sinking his hips, creating a sturdier anchor, and his hand placement has shifted from erratic lunges to more controlled punches. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better.
The growth showed up in the laundry basket as well. His rookie season was laced with penalties from constant false-start infractions to repeated holding calls. He went from 18 flags netting 100 total penalty yards in his rookie season to just seven flags for 49 yards last year, dropping his yardage costs in half. The mental growth and technical refinement were producing dividends, even if there was still a lot more to clean up.
Guyton still has some issues. He runs into problems with his anticipation, as he can be a little jittery. When subjected to blitzes or tricky run stunts, he can hesitate briefly, putting him in compromising spots while he tries to recover. This is where he becomes frantic, his footwork gets sloppy, and his decision-making becomes desperate. In those moments, seasoned edge rushers will make him look like a raw prospect who still has a ways to go before being anyone a team can feel comfortable about.
Despite his flaws, his athleticism and growth are still big reasons for genuine optimism. Offensive linemen are far from finished products after just two years, and Guyton offers a lot to work with. He has the size and movement skills to be a good player, and he has already proven himself to be a decent run blocker. If he can clean up some of his deficiencies in pass protection, he’ll be just fine.
The position battle thing is a whole lot of nothing. Fans might remember we heard something similar last year when Schottenheimer said rookie Tyler Booker had to earn the starting right guard spot over veteran free agent Rob Jones, who was given first-team reps. Jones got hurt shortly thereafter, throwing Booker into the starting role, but the rookie held his own just fine. A once-believed position battle for a first-round prospect turned into a quality season for Booker, proving that internal competition is sometimes just a coaching philosophy rather than a sign of trouble.
At the end of the day, there’s no reason for any great concern over the Guyton news. Let the competition with Thomas play itself out in camp. A little sense of urgency might be exactly what the young tackle needs to light a fire under him and provide the motivation he needs to take the next step. With his talent and growth, there are plenty of reasons to expect things to continue to trend up as he works toward being a long-term fixture along the Cowboys’ offensive line.
