The Dallas Cowboys had plenty of question marks on defense heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. And in typical Jerry Jones fashion, although he doesn't get nearly the credit for it that he deserves, America's team left the event with several promising solutions on that side of the ball.
Now, however, the biggest question at The Star this offseason will pertain to the offensive line. How does the team address the elephant in the room that is the Tyler Smith and Tyler Guyton situation at left tackle? Oh, and how does fourth-round pick Drew Shelton now factor into that equation?
Fortunately, they'll have an entire offseason to sort this out, with OTAs beginning here soon. The best player should undoubtedly play, no matter what the Cowboys' initial investment in them was. But Brian Schottenheimer just spoke about Shelton, and his surprise plan for him will put Guyton on high alert.
Dallas Cowboys' LT Tyler Guyton has zero margin for error in Year 3
Schottenheimer spoke to reporters after Day 3 of the draft, and when asked what the team liked about Shelton and how he factored into the offensive tackle competition, Dallas' head coach didn't pull any punches. He praised Shelton at length and said that he will be competing with Guyton.
"We really like his smooth footwork. He's a good athlete, plays well in space. We think he, again, is a guy that's going to go out there, and he's got a really good understanding of angles and how to get in people's way. We just like the traits, and we bet on a guy that's played, I think, 34 starts," Schottenheimer said. "We think we can get him in here to compete with some of the guys we got. We're looking forward to throwing him in the mix with Guyton and Nate Thomas and those guys. And he'll be a left tackle that's got some guard versatility, but we also expect him to be able to swing to the other side as well."
A young player who was drafted in the first round with 21 NFL starts under their belt probably shouldn't have to compete with a fourth-rounder whose ability to play tackle at the professional level was questioned throughout the pre-draft process. But here the Cowboys are with Guyton.
It is not as if Guyton is devoid of talent or can't make an impact on the Dallas offense. Although not great, he has been a solid enough run blocker in his two years, even if he's left Dak Prescott out to dry on too many occasions in pass protection during his young career.
And while it is somewhat customary for a coach to say that a young player is going to compete for a starting role, Schottenheimer didn't say this about Anthony Smith at wide receiver. But he did name Guyton directly when talking about the prospects of Shelton.
Shelton, for all his good qualities, might not have the length to stave off NFL defensive ends. But his versatility (played right tackle early in his college career and occasionally slid in to guard) is a great counter to what would be a disastrous fact in most other situations.
But the fact that Shelton is, ostensibly, going to be given a chance to compete for the starting left tackle role says a lot about just how far Guyton has to go in earning the trust of the Cowboys' coaching staff.
Schottenheimer's comments should put him on notice and light a fire under him.
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