Dallas Cowboys fans are waiting with bated breath for the notification that says the team has fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. That likely isn't to come until after the season, as Jerry Jones is seemingly out of patience with the guy he handpicked to replace Mike Zimmer.
Firing Eberflus would be a step in the right direction for Dallas, but their list of problems goes beyond just the DC. The defense could use two new players at linebacker, edge rusher, cornerback, and safety.
The front office will have to tinker with some contracts to get cap compliant, and several moves in that regard are painfully obvious. Trading or cutting Trevon Diggs feels inevitable, but Diggs isn't the only expensive underachiever with whom the Cowboys should cut ties after the season.
Releasing Steele should be an easy call for the front office. He'll carry an $18.1 million cap hit into next season, which is far too steep for arguably the biggest liability on an offensive line that has otherwise held up its end of the bargain this year.
Cowboys have to move on from RT Terence Steele in 2026
On the latest episode of The Landry Hat Podcast, Zachary Lee laid out exactly why the Cowboys should move on from Steele, who inked a five-year, $82.5 million extension right before the 2023 season.
"Terence Steele is due $18.1 million next year. If the Cowboys cut him post June 1, which sucks because you can't use that money in free agency -- not realistically -- they would accrue $4.5 million in dead cap money but would save $14 million," Lee said.
Where do we sign?
It's easy to say that the Cowboys should kick their starting RT to the curb. Those aren't easy to find, but Steele simply hasn't lived up to his contract. As impactful as he is as a run-blocker, his inconsistencies in pass protection have loomed large throughout the season.
While Steele's 77.6 run-blocking grade ranks 17th among offensive tackles, his 56.5 pass-blocking grade ranks 69th out of 82 tackles, per Pro Football Focus. While PFF grades aren't the be-all end-all measuring stick for offensive linemen, Steele's marks check out. A deeper dive into the stats proves it.
According to PFF, 45 tackles have played at least 400 pass-blocking snaps this season. Nobody has allowed more pressures than Steele's 43. He's allowed the ninth-most sacks (6), third-most quarterback hits (8), third-most hurries (29), and his 95.6 pass-blocking efficiency is eighth-worst.
Now that Dak Prescott is on the wrong side of 30, protecting him is more important than ever. The Cowboys can either move Tyler Guyton to right tackle, where he played at Oklahoma, or spend some money in free agency for once and find a viable starter.
It won't cost an arm and a leg to find someone who can do a better job than Steele in pass pro. Releasing him with a post-June 1 designation is as straightforward as it gets.