Should Cowboys show first-round rookie patience or focus on winning in 2024?

When Tyler Guyton fell to injury in the Cowboys’ Week 5 matchup against Pittsburgh, some saw it as a possible blessing in disguise. That’s because Guyton was replaced by the Cowboys All-Pro left guard, Tyler Smith, a player with previous experience at the left tackle position and someone seen as an instant upgrade. The move outside for Smith required Dallas’ top reserve lineman, T.J. Bass, to take over the vacated LG spot. Overall, it gave fans, who were growing increasingly nervous with the Cowboys pass protection, a chance to breathe a sigh of relief.

Left tackle is considered a core position in the NFL. If a team doesn’t have a good one, they probably won’t be a high-producing offense. Protecting the quarterback’s blindside is Job 1 on a LT’s task list because just one break in the dam can lose a game or end a QB’s season.

The Cowboys clearly valued the position when they made Guyton their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft. After letting former All-Pro Tyron Smith leave in free agency, Dallas had an obvious need.

Drafting near the end of the round it was obvious Dallas wouldn’t get the pick of the litter. Guyton represented the ninth offensive linemen taken in 2024. He was unpolished and untested. He offered a tremendous ceiling, but most scouts agreed he also would require tremendous patience.

A promising start to training camp and the preseason caused many to forget his expected career arch and led them to recalibrate rookie expectations. Just two seasons prior the Cowboys slid another rookie, the aforementioned Tyler Smith, into the starting LT spot in Week 1 and they were pleasantly rewarded. Why not have the same expectations for Guyton?

The answer to that is Tyler Smith was an exception to the norm and therefore a bit of an anomaly. As the most penalized offensive tackle in football, Smith was supposed to struggle early as well, he just didn’t. To expect the Cowboys to hit the lottery like that again two years later was probably a touch too optimistic.

So when Guyton started his rookie campaign with growing pains, many were taken back with disappointment. Five weeks into the season Guyton is grading out as the 71st OT in the NFL (out of 78 graded). His four sacks given up are second most in the league. He’s also second in penalties and 10th in overall pressures (just one behind Terence Steele). It’s safe to say he’s not good, but it’s also safe to say none of this is unexpected.

The Cowboys are sticking with their guy. Despite some fan urging to keep Smith at LT and Guyton to the bench or to replace Steele at right tackle, the Cowboys appear to be committed to the cause.

They knew developing him would be a process and have the long-term goals in mind. They know Guyton needs practice and needs reps to reach the heights they think he’s capable of, and the only way to do that is live action on the field.

With all of that said, the risk is real, and it could cost the Cowboys the 2024 season. Guyton’s a liability in pass protection and a danger to Dak Prescott. Mike McCarthy has done a good job of rolling Prescott out of the pocket to the right side and giving his young LT help whenever possible, but even with that Guyton’s a league leader in pressures allowed.

The Cowboys are committed to developing Guyton because they know, in the long run, it’s the smart thing to do. Guyton has a long way to go but they knew that when they picked him. His play shouldn’t be seen as disappointing because he was always supposed to be a project player like this. Patience is required and with any luck a commitment to his development will start to produce positive results in the not-too-distant future.

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