New Dallas Cowboys tackle Drew Shelton

If there is one question that no NFL team wants to be asking as it heads into the workout phase of the offseason, it’s who will be the team’s quarterback for the upcoming year. The Dallas Cowboys have been fortunate in that they have an answer to that, and have had one for years now. But the second question no one wants to be asking at this time of year is, who is the left tackle going to be? And on that, the Cowboys are less certain.

Teams can get by with receiver rooms that are by-committee, and the Cowboys have shown, with Rico Dowdle followed by Javonte Williams, that digging up a starting-quality running back does not require massive resources. But after the quarterback, the left tackle is the cornerstone of the offensive line, and the Cowboys just don’t seem to have much faith in theirs.

It was supposed to be Tyler Guyton, of course, the team’s first-round pick in 2024. But Guyton did not take the step forward the team hoped he would take in 2025, and closed the year with Tyler Smith at left tackle. Coming out of the draft, Dallas still has a major question at the position.

Cowboys Will Have 3 Candidates Compete for LT Job

There was one Cowboys draft pick used on a potential left tackle: Drew Shelton, the fourth-rounder from Florida. It is unclear just how much of an impact he will have on the competition at the position, though. Ultimately, the Cowboys have a star at left guard in Smith, and want to keep him in that position–moving him to tackle leaves Dallas with a so-so left tackle and a big question at guard. They’d rather a star at guard and only one question mark next to him.

Coach Brian Schottenheimer has said the Cowboys will play their five best linemen, and if that means Smith plays left tackle, that’s what he will do. But it would sting losing Smith at guard.

That means Guyton is still the guy the Cowboys hope will win the job. Nate Thomas, who had his own struggles filling in when Guyton was injures last season, will also be in the mix. He was a seventh-round pick in 2024 and was rated the No. 83 tackle out of 84 by Pro Football Focus last year.

Can Drew Shelton Unseat Tyler Guyton?

Could Shelton realistically fill the role? The plan appears to be for him to compete for a swing-tackle role because the team likes his versatility, but if he is the best left tackle on the team, presumably, Schottenheimer will give him the job.

“We really like his smooth footwork,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s a good athlete, plays well in space. We think he 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. 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.”