Cowboys most important 2022 camp battle isn’t what you are expecting

The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of question marks heading into the 2022-2023 season. In the midst of an offseason that has featured some big-name departures, there are quite a few positional battles for fans to keep their eye on. One that has been flying under the radar, but remains crucial to the Cowboys’ success this season has been the competition at swing tackle.

That’s right, it’s possible that the most important battle for playing time this offseason might not be from someone trying to crack the starting lineup. Instead, it’s to find an essential role player, whose poor play has burned Dallas time and time again over the past few seasons.

Tyron Smith’s health and Terence Steele’s play are going to be big storylines for the Cowboys this season

Left tackle Tyron Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and a near-lock to make the Hall of Fame when he retires. But he hasn’t played an entire year’s worth of games since 2015. In the past two seasons alone he’s made just 13 starts. When Smith plays, he’s still capable of being one of the NFL’s premier left tackles. However, injuries have been a consistent issue and the Cowboys need to be prepared to weather the storm of three or four games without him.

Last season, Terence Steele carved out playing time as the team’s swing tackle, but after the Cowboys released La’el Collins, Steele immediately became the starting right tackle. He played better last season than he did in his rookie year, but it’s safe to say he isn’t on the same level as Collins right now. How Steele holds up as the full-time starter with Collins now in Cincinnati will likely be a constant topic of conversation throughout 2022.

In recent seasons, veterans like Cam Erving, Cameron Fleming, and Ty Nsekhe have filled in at swing tackle to varying degrees of effectiveness. Undrafted free agent Brandon Knight also made 10 starts for the team over the last three seasons.  However, the Cowboys waived Knight last season.

Instead, they are going to look at younger players already on the roster. This year’s first-rounder Tyler Smith is likely the heir apparent at left tackle once Tyron Smith retires. But for now, the Cowboys will stick him at left guard and get him playing time.

It’s possible that if Tyron Smith is out for an extended period of time, the Cowboys could end up shifting Tyler Smith to left tackle and bringing in Connor McGovern to start at guard. However, I think it’s more likely that Dallas tries to keep Smith in one spot for his rookie season instead of throwing everything at him at once. Plus, when it comes to moving around linemen, we all know how much head coach Mike McCarthy hates playing “fantasy football.”

Having a good swing tackle is always important. But with Smith’s injury history and the question marks around Steele, it’s critical for the Cowboys in 2022. So, who will compete for the role? Let’s take a look.

So who might step up as the Cowboys’ swing tackle in 2022?

In 2021, Dallas selected Josh Ball out of Marshall with their fourth-round pick. At the pro level, Ball is still a big unknown. Last year, an early ankle injury derailed his rookie year and forced him to sit out the season without so much as a preseason snap.

Ball has flashed talent before, but he also has a long history of violent and disturbing off-the-field behavior that calls into his question his place on this roster. Notably, he started his college career as a left tackle for Florida State University before being removed from the team, heading to community college, and then ultimately being drafted by the Cowboys out of Marshall. It’s unclear whether he can turn things around with Dallas.

Another option is Hard Knocks fan-favorite, Isaac Alarcón, who is still with the team and will try and push for a spot on the roster. He joined the Cowboys in 2020 as part of the International Player Pathways Program and spent 2021 on the practice squad.

Additionally, the Cowboys brought in tackle Aviante Collins. He was waived by the Steelers early last season but he does have a single career start to his name. That is more than we can say for anyone else competing for playing time at swing tackle.

Rookie Matt Waletzko has impressed the Cowboys early

This year, the Cowboys drafted Matt Waletzko in the fifth round. Right now, Waletzko stands as Ball’s primary competition at swing tackle. He started all four years at North Dakota, and at 6-8, 305 pounds is physically imposing when lined up against defensive ends.

However, coming from North Dakota, it’s reasonable to question the competition that Waletzko faced on a weekly basis. How will he fare against the bigger, quicker, and more punishing linemen he’s going to face in the NFL? That’s what the preseason is for. The early games should give the team a good indication of how prepared he might be, if he’s forced to play right away.

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Mike McCarthy gave Terence Steele 14 starts in 2020 as an undrafted rookie. He’s shown patience with younger offensive linemen in the past and he’s not afraid to let them develop and play through struggles.

Waletzko and Ball have both seen reps with the starters during OTAs. However, the early reports on Waletko, in particular, have been positive, and he’s frequently been the next man up when Tyron Smith is on the sideline. It’s obviously early, but that is a solid indicator that Waletzko could have an early edge in the swing tackle competition.

The Cowboys have yet to add a veteran into the mix. It’s possible that the Joneses may finally make additional free agent moves during the preseason when teams cut down their roster. For now, they are content to give Ball and Waletzko every chance to compete with other young players behind them. Regardless of who wins the competition at swing tackle, fans need to pay attention, because there’s a good chance they might see plenty of them this season.