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Tyler Guyton #60 of the Dallas Cowboys

If you’re looking for spots on the Dallas Cowboys roster where what appears to be a hole could develop into something much bigger and more concerning, you would probably begin with the defense which, despite the enthusiasm of new coordinator Christian Parker and a host of new personnel additions, there are still some spots the are lacking in depth. But there is at least one spot on the offense, which ranked among the best in the NFL last season, where the Cowboys risk a flood of bad outcomes: at left tackle, where former first-round pick Tyler Guyton has been on shaky ground since late last season.

The Cowboys took Guyton with the No. 29 overall pick in 2024, and immediately installed him as the starter following the departure of aging star Tyron Smith. He showed some improvement over the course of his rookie year, but suffered a knee injury in training camp last year, which caused him to miss the final month of summer practices, but did not keep him off the field for Week 1.

But Guyton did not take the strides the team hoped in his second season. Now, it’s fair to wonder how many more seasons he will have at The Star.

Tyler Guyton Injuries Limited Him in 2025

Guyton suffered a high ankle sprain last year that ended his season early, an issue that forced the team to bump star guard Tyler Smith out to the tackle. That’s not the ideal set-up for the Cowboys–they prefer to leave Smith to star at left guard, rather than make him play a left tackle spot that suits him less.

But coach Brian Schottenheimer has made clear that keeping Smith at tackle is on the table for next season, with TJ Bass likely to move in from a reserve role to starting guard. That is not exactly a vote of confidence in Guyton.

Cowboys Would Not Pick Up Tyler Guyton Option at This Point

With that in mind, Cowboys beat writer Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram projects that, if the Cowboys had to make a decision on Guyton’s future now, they would probably move on from him. They don’t have to do that, but it’s an indication that Guyton is running out of time to prove himself.

Wrote Harris: “This time next offseason, the Cowboys will have to make the decision on whether to give Guyton his fifth-year option or not. If that happened today, I’d be shocked if he received it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we enter training camp and the team comes out and says that there is an open competition for the left tackle spot.

“Guyton has been inconsistent on the field and in staying healthy. Nate Thomas showed a bit of promise last season, and fourth-round pick Drew Shelton is coming with some good experience from the college level. Yes, definitely a make-or-break year for Guyton, in my opinion.”

Cowboys Hoping Patience Pays Off

Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas earlier in the offseason, explained that the team wants to keep its inside linemen together. But they will need more from the tackles (Terrence Steele is on the right side) to make that happen.

“I think going into this offseason, in my mind, the way I see it is: How do we get a little bit better and more consistent play out of the tackles? Well, we need to get those guys on the field and they need to play,” he said.

“That’s one of the things that I know Tyler Guyton has been frustrated with is he had a great offseason, he’s starting training camp good, and then he’s on the shelf for a little bit. And then he comes back and he’s doing some good things and he’s flashing, and then he’s on the shelf for a little bit. I generally use this metric in my mind, and I believe it. You got to get these young players through start 20-25. Then you start seeing those guys kind of self-monitor and see some of their own things they need to fix or be able to help themselves a little bit.”