Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have some tough questions to answer before next season in regard to their offensive line. Connor McGovern’s departure creates a vacancy at left guard — one most folks believed would be filled by 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith after he excelled as a rookie.
In that scenario, Tyron Smith, who restructured his contract to return, will start at left tackle for however long he’s healthy, Tyler Biadasz would start at center, Zack Martin at his familiar right guard and Terence Steele at right tackle assuming he’s recovered from ACL surgery.
It’s been speculated that the elder Smith could start at RT, while the younger Smith fills in at left tackle (where he looked comfortable last year) in the event Steele is forced to miss the start of the season. That would leave LG in the hands of a potential draft pick or recent free agent pickup Chuma Edoga.
If need be, these are reasonable adjustments. Nothing crazy, right?
Don’t tell that to Jerry Jones, who spoke at the owner’s meetings Monday and made a comment that sent Cowboys Twitter ablaze.
Per the owner, Dallas is currently operating as if Steele is the swing tackle behind the Smith tandem. Jones seemingly hasn’t given a thought to playing Steele at left guard to fill the McGovern void.
Jerry Jones says at the NFL owners meetings that he sees Terence Steele still as a tackle and providing OT depth with Tyron and Tyler Smith. As for left guard, the draft is probably the best spot to address that need but Jones didn’t rule out using someone “from within.”
— Nick Eatman (@nickeatman) March 27, 2023
Cowboys Twitter was confounded by Jerry Jones’ Terence Steele comments at the owner’s meetings.
Good grief. No disrespect to Tyron Smith, but Steele is the superior right tackle at this juncture of their careers. Steele is coming off a breakout year and is established as an elite run blocker, while Smith has played the entirety of his career at left tackle and took his lumps at RT filling in for Steele last season.
Cowboys Twitter did not take kindly to Jones’ comments.
This is a mistake imo. You're not putting your best combination on the field AND you're now without a starter headed toward the draft which is bad planning. https://t.co/AdBawr5CM3
— Jeff Cavanaugh (@timeforjeffrey) March 27, 2023
Is having your best players and combinations on the field suddenly not conducive to winning?Asking for a friend (millions of Cowboys fans).
It’s truly not even close tbh https://t.co/yjMukgF11k
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) March 27, 2023
It’s not even a discussion, and yet here we are.
RT 1 argue with ya son Jerry pic.twitter.com/6JdSZu7U1E
— Skywalker Steele (@SkywalkerSteele) March 27, 2023
Steele is better than Tyron at RT… https://t.co/lmog8igKZV
— Duke Manyweather (@BigDuke50) March 27, 2023
Terence Steele should be the starting RT, if healthy. Moving him to swing would be dumb, imo https://t.co/z13wsjOWzG
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) March 27, 2023
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) March 27, 2023
And to think these same folks were singing Jones’ praises just last week after he sanctioned trades for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks.
Of course, one comment shouldn’t undo all of that great work. Further, it’s difficult to believe the 2023 depth chart is set in stone before April. Not everything Jones said has come to fruition. He strongly hinted that Ezekiel Elliott would be back, and that Tyron Smith would be back on his original contract.
This part of the calendar is dubbed “lying season” for a reason. Might Jones be (trying to) throw teams off the scent of Dallas’ draft plans?
It’s certainly possible, which is why we wouldn’t overreact.
That said, it’s impossible not to understand the collective confusion Cowboys Nation exuded once Jones’ quote made its way to Twitter.

3 offensive linemen Cowboys can draft to replace Connor McGovern
With Connor McGovern taking a deal with the Buffalo Bills, the Dallas Cowboys will need to find more depth on the O-line and can look to the 2023 NFL Draft