There’s been a considerable degree of disappointment and discussion revolving around the Dallas Cowboys’ top draft pick from last year. Tyler Guyton, the Cowboys’ first-round draft selection in 2024, was selected to fill the left tackle vacancy left by Tyron Smith. But after one year in the books all he’s done is given Dallas more question marks on their offensive line.
Guyton, a standout right tackle at Oklahoma, possessed all the required traits and abilities required to protect the blindside in the NFL. His massive 6-foot-7, 322-pound frame was matched with next level athleticism, explosion and agility, earning an RAS score of 9.73 (relative athletic score, 1-10 range). Like Smith before him, he was being asked to switch sides of the offensive line here in the pros. Also like Smith, he had all the physical traits to make such a transition a perfectly reasonable request.
That’s not to say the move from RT to LT is an easy one. Switching sides of the offensive line has been likened to “wiping” with the other hand. It’s an unnatural and uncomfortable switch, requiring time and repetition before it can be cleanly (pun intended) and confidently executed. It’s why most transitions such as this take place over the offseason – so players have ample time to get in the reps and hone their craft.
Guyton, just a 13-game starter at right tackle in college, didn’t have an entire offseason to make the switch but he still had enough time to lay down some solid muscle memory before the regular season kicked off. Most field work isn’t done until minicamps and training camp anyway so whatever delay he faced being an April addition was minimal given the NFL calendar.
A strong training camp and preseason pushed the expectation-o-meter to new heights prior to the season. Guyton showed all of the dominant skills scouts mentioned in his various draft profiles and he looked like the next great cornerstone of the Cowboys offensive line.
Once the regular season began the outlook changed quickly. Guyton was frequently slow off the snap, sloppy in his technique and distant in concentration, leading to whiffs and flags. Instead of improving each week things seemingly got worse, with Guyton eventually landing on the bench working in some sort of rotational platoon with youngster Asim Richards and journeyman Chuma Edoga.
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