Is a High-Stakes Left Tackle Battle Brewing for the Cowboys in 2026?
For most of the 2010s and beyond, the Dallas Cowboys were known to have elite offensive lines. Filled with former players like Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Travis Frederick, the Dallas line was stable for over a decade. In 2026, the days of those star linemen are over, but a new generation has taken over protecting quarterback Dak Prescott. Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, and Cooper Beebe are now leading a new era of the offensive line, but questions remain about the most important position on the line. With former first-round pick Tyler Guyton and seventh-round pick Nathan Thomas, is there a left tackle battle entering 2026?
On face value, the obvious choice would be to play the former first-round pick, Guyton. It has been a challenging start to his career, as he has faced injuries and inconsistent performance during his first two seasons in the league. Guyton's job is to protect the most expensive player in the sport, but he has had to switch sides on the offensive line, moving from right to left, so a learning curve was expected when he entered the NFL. The argument for Thomas playing stems just from his consistency in practice and the work ethic he has put in. To his credit, when given the opportunity to play, Thomas has performed reasonably well for a player drafted in the seventh round.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has hinted at what the plan will be for the left tackle position in several press conferences this offseason. He said Thomas could start and earn the job, but it's Guyton's job to lose, which makes sense. Dallas invested a first-round pick in the former Sooner, and as he enters his third season, it is a critical moment for him to demonstrate why he deserves to remain the starter. Dallas heads into 2026 with high aspirations, a brand-new defensive identity, and one of the league's best offenses, and if the former TE cannot handle being a starter, they will look at the next man up, which is Thomas. The season does not start for another three months, but that is enough time for a player like their 330-pound offensive tackle to prove why he should be the starter and to upset a former first-round pick for his job.
