With the Dallas Cowboys not wasting time improving their defense in free agency, one can't help but wonder if they have any offensive moves up their sleeve.
San Francisco 49ers left tackle Trent Williams has been one of the best at his position for well over a decade, but they are in a pickle with Williams' contract. He's set to hit the final year of his deal, which carries a massive $39 million cap hit. This means the Niners will trade or release him if they can't restructure his deal.
Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports says the Cowboys make sense as a landing spot for Williams. It's not necessarily in the cards for the Cowboys to get an offensive tackle, thanks to Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele. But Pereles says concerns at left and right tackle could prompt Dallas to kick the tires.
"Left tackle Tyler Guyton, a 2024 first-round pick, struggled mightily in 2025 and has not inspired a ton of confidence through two seasons. Right tackle Terence Steele is a cut candidate. Add in that Williams is from Texas and, again, that the Cowboys are the Cowboys, and Dallas has to at least be on the radar. Jerry Jones, after all, said he's ready to 'bust the budget.'"
Trent Williams to the Dallas Cowboys is never going to happen
Inserting the 12-time Pro Bowler at left tackle is a fun thought, but it would create a massive logjam with Guyton and Steele. Steele's contract was just restructured to create additional cap space. The Cowboys also have way more problems on defense to even think about signing or trading for an offensive tackle of Williams' caliber.
The hesitancy to bring back Steele came from his inability to protect the quarterback. Pro Football Focus ranked him 76th of 89 offensive tackles in pass protection last season. Not exactly ideal with Dak Prescott about to hit his mid-30s.
While fans have been iffy on Steele, Guyton's rank in pass protection fared worse, believe it or not. PFF ranked Guyton 81st out of 89 in pass protection with a 50.0 grade. Run blocking was better, but with the run game clicking just fine last season, that's not necessarily an area of concern.
After a poor rookie season plagued by injuries, the Cowboys decided to continue with Guyton as the full-time left tackle. He may not be an instant star right away, but much younger than Williams and can still develop into the tackle that Dallas believes he can be.
It's no secret that Williams is one of the best left tackles of his generation, but there's no need to throw a wrench into the offensive line. What happens with Guyton if you trade or sign for Steele?
And who can forget Williams' dirty hit on Leighton Vander Esch that resulted in the neck injury that ended Vander Esch's career? The locker room may not take kindly to Williams joining the squad.
Even with questions about Guyton and Steele's long-term futures, the Cowboys are set at tackle for 2026.
With Williams in the latter part of his career, it wouldn't make sense to bust the budget for a soon-to-be 38-year-old offensive tackle. Is he one of the best of all time? Yes, but it's not a right fit for the Cowboys with the mess they have on defense.