The Dallas Cowboys sent a crystal clear message to Tyler Guyton earlier this offseason. Brian Schottenheimer made it clear that the Cowboys were ready to embark on a left tackle competition between Guyton, Nate Thomas, and fourth-round rookie Drew Shelton.
Guyton has been Dallas' starting left tackle ever since he was drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but Schottenheimer isn't going to just blindly hand him the job. The Cowboys want him to earn it, and they're making sure that the idea of a left tackle battle correctly lights a fire under him.
The Cowboys are going out of their way to challenge the 25-year-old, and it seems that he's already rising to the challenge. Not only is he already the overwhelming favorite to be the starting left tackle come Week 1, he's been putting in some work with some of the best OTs the NFL has to offer.
Tyler Guyton worked out with two of the NFL's best offensive tackles
On social media, Guyton was seen working out with Dion Dawkins and Lane Johnson, and if that's not putting your best foot forward, I don't know what is. It's one thing to spend the summer break living in the weight room, but it's a bigger endorsement to do so alongside the best in the business.
Dawkins and Johnson have a combined 11 Pro Bowls and two rings between them, so if there's anyone who can teach the third-year tackle a thing or two about what it means to be a quality offensive tackle in this league, it's the two tackles with whom he's been in the gym.
Guyton has been a mixed bag across his first two seasons, but the Cowboys are waiting for him to kick his career into second gear and take that leap. They haven't even been impressed enough with him to warrant naming him an unquestioned starter, so something has to change.
At 6-foot-8 and 325 pounds, the Oklahoma product is one massive human being, but he needs to improve his technique. Penalties were an issue as a rookie, and he missed a little less than half of his second season due to injury, so the stability of staying on the field is another part of the issue here.
Across two seasons with the Cowboys, Guyton has flashed his talent and upside, but not consistently enough to be in conversations alongside guys like Dawkins and Johnson. But if he keeps showing up and training with those guys, he may not be very far off from that level.
The Cowboys may want to test Tyler Guyton, but he's responding in the one way they wanted to.
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