For as elite as the Dallas Cowboys' offense was last season, there were still a few weak links. They finished near the top of the NFL in almost every offensive statistic, which was in large part due to elite play from Dak Prescott, a rejuvenated run game led by Javonte Williams, and an offensive line that did a serviceable job despite inconsistency at left tackle and the insertion of a rookie at right guard.
The offensive line is full of current or future stars. Between Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, and Cooper Beebe, the Cowboys are set for the next decade on the interior. But the offensive tackle position has been a bigger cause for concern, especially considering how Terence Steele looked at right tackle.
While consistent in the run game, Steele took a lot of lumps in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, his 54.9 pass blocking grade ranked 76th out of 89 qualified tackles and was the third-worst grade of his career.
While you can look at the pressure numbers he surrendered and freak out, there's no reason to. Dallas should have every reason to believe that Terence Steele is going to turn things around in 2026 and re-establish himself as the man they paid massive money to keep at right tackle. And they chose not to release him for a reason.
The Cowboys are due to get a bounce-back year out of Terence Steele
For starters, Dallas is thankful to have continuity on the offensive line, especially in Steele's case. The Cowboys are entering Year 2 under offensive line coach Conor Riley, and another offseason in the same system could be exactly what Steele needs to rediscover his pre-injury form.
The Cowboys may want to use 2026 fourth-round pick Drew Shelton to light a fire under him, but Steele isn't in any real danger of losing his starting job. The biggest reason for the 29-year-old's regression is the torn ACL he suffered late in his breakout 2022 season. He hasn't returned to that level, but he also hasn't been a liability. That's hardly an ideal reality, but things could be much worse.
The undrafted free agent from Texas Tech has still been a stellar run-blocker, but his pass-blocking has been hampered by allowing poorly timed sacks or being called for penalties. But he also ended the season strong last year, and he should turn things around since he'll enter training camp healthy.
The seventh-year tackle hasn't missed a game in the last three years. And the more time that passes, the more we see him resemble his pre-injury self. So while Terence Steele has been the weak link in recent seasons, the stars are quietly aligning for him to enjoy a bounce-back campaign in 2026.
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