The Dallas Cowboys schedule release wasn't all fun and games. The brutal end-of-season gauntlet will be tough on everyone, but especially the offensive line. Dallas already has an uninspiring running back room, which some in the media are calling the worst in the NFL.
With that in mind, former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus thinks there is one offensive lineman in particular who cannot afford to regress. That player is second-year center Cooper Beebe, who started 16 games as a rookie and exceeded expectations.
"If this team is going to run the ball effectively, Cooper Beebe has got to be that guy ... He has to be the point, because I think the guard to his left (Tyler Smith) and the guard to his right (Tyler Booker) are going to be pretty damn good, but he's got to hold his end of the bargain to this team," Broaddus said on Voch Lombardi's YouTube channel.
Cowboys need Cooper Beebe to continue trending up in 2025
The Cowboys had a rough season on offense in 2024. The offensive line welcomed two rookies to the starting five in Beebe and first-round pick Tyler Guyton, who struggled at left tackle. That cannot be overstated.
Zack Martin was up and down on top of battling injuries. Dak Prescott also had maybe his worst season to date. When you combine that with a lack of run identity, 2024 was a season of growing pains. As Broaddus said, Beebe making a jump in year two will go a long way.
Tyler Booker and Tyler Smith have the potential to be one of the best guard tandems in football, which hammers home this great point from Broaddus: The run game is dependent on the interior blockers. With Smith and Booker expected to hold down the fort at left and right guard, respectively, Beebe has to be the guy to take a jump if the offense wants to look efficient.
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There's no doubt that Beebe can make the jump that's expected of him. After all, his countless accolades at Kansas State is what caught the Cowboys' eye in the first place. He was a two-time Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year.
While the running scheme figures to have a huge upgrade with Klayton Adams calling the shots, Beebe's physicality and size will be important to depend on for Dallas' rushing attack to be successful throughout the 2025 season and overcome the brutal late-season schedule.