It’s too dramatic to say that Sunday is a must-win game for the Dallas Cowboys. But in reality, it’s probably the truth. With a record of 1-2-1, the Cowboys need to get back to .500 before they get to the most challenging part of the schedule.
However, they will need to secure a win in Week 5 against the Jets despite being without several key players on offense.
Tyler Guyton, Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, and Cooper Beebe all missed practice on Wednesday due to injuries. Beebe is on the injured reserve list and is expected to miss the next few months. Smith is dealing with tendonitis in his knee, and his status for this game is uncertain. Guyton suffered a concussion in Week 4, and that means Nathan Thomas is on deck to get his first NFL start.
Cowboys OT Nate Thomas will likely make his first career NFL start in Week 5
While the Cowboys are hopeful that Guyton can make it through concussion protocol before Sunday’s game, that feels like wishful thinking. And missing practice on Wednesday isn’t a great sign for his availability. That means Nathan Thomas, a seventh-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft, will get his first NFL start.
The good news for Dallas is that Thomas got plenty of reps during training camp when Guyton went down with a knee injury. He played with the “starters” during the preseason, so this isn’t entirely new for him.
The Cowboys have been high on Thomas all offseason, so much so that he was rotating in with Terence Steele in Week 4 before having to fill in for Guyton at left tackle. And while he was far from perfect, he certainly didn’t look out of place.
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Thomas is a great fit in the offense under Klayton Adams, which prioritizes a downhill run scheme built on power. He’s not the most fluid pass-blocker, but that could come in time with more reps. Dallas will likely protect him in obvious pass-blocking situations with chips and double teams, but don’t expect the Cowboys to be afraid of playing Thomas. They clearly like him and believe he can be a starter in the NFL.
It also helps to have a quarterback like Dak Prescott under center, who knows how to maneuver in the pocket and can deliver passes quickly to mitigate an inexperienced offensive line. But this isn’t a Chaz Green situation (that’s a deep cut), as the Cowboys are excited about what Thomas can bring to the offensive line in the short-term and in the long-term.
The hope is that Thomas can show enough during this start (and potentially more down the road) for him to warrant a starting job in 2026. This is a big-time opportunity for the former Louisiana star, and it sure doesn’t feel like the Cowboys are expecting any significant drop-off at tackle. We will see how that plays out against the Jets' talented defensive line, but the vibes appear to be really good regarding their young offensive tackle, who is ready to make his first career start.