Tyler Guyton may win the Cowboys’ left tackle battle in a landslide
Guyton has been Dallas’ starting left tackle for two seasons despite inconsistent play and durability concerns, so it’s not exactly surprising that there’s a gap between him and Thomas and Shelton.
Perhaps he’d be standing on shakier ground if the Cowboys had a stronger alternative, but as Machota noted, the job is Guyton’s to lose as long as he stays healthy.
The former first-round pick missed only two games as a rookie, but shaky blocking and a recurring penalty problem overshadowed much of his season. He committed a whopping 18 penalties, including 12 in pass protection, and ranked 50th among tackles with a 96.0 pass-blocking efficiency, per Pro Football Focus advanced stats.
Guyton’s second year was arguably much worse, as he missed all of training camp with a knee injury. That missed practice time proved crucial, as Guyton once again struggled, allowing more pressures (31) than Year 1 despite playing fewer snaps.
Injuries only compounded the problem. A concussion cost him a game in the middle of the year, and he was later placed on season-ending injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, shelving him for the final seven games.
Guyton hasn’t been unplayable when healthy. But whether it be a pre-snap penalty or a lousy rep in pass pro, he’s developed a knack for derailing promising drives. And yet, Thomas and Shelton may not even make him sweat in Oxnard.