{"id":408377,"date":"2026-08-16T20:00:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/408377\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T20:00:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:00:34","slug":"cowboys-biggest-position-weakness-must-be-addressed-after-preseason-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/408377\/","title":{"rendered":"Cowboys’ Biggest Position Weakness Must Be Addressed After Preseason Opener"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Saturday, the Dallas Cowboys rested their starting offensive line<\/a>. That meant Nate Thomas got the start at left tackle while rookie fourth-round pick Drew Shelton was at right tackle.<\/p>\n

Both players had their share of struggles, with Thomas drawing a false start on the team’s first third-down of the game. That forced Dallas into a third-and-nine<\/a>, and they were punting the ball two snaps later.<\/p>\n

Shelton also had an ill-timed flag in this one. He was called for a false start on second-down during a two-minute drill. That forced Dallas to take their first time out<\/a> and while they were bailed out by a sensational touchdown grab from Camden Brown, it wasn’t an ideal moment for Shelton.<\/p>\n

The depth behind them continued to struggle with discipline with Marcellus Johnson being flagged on consecutive plays in the third quarter. On a second-and-one, he was called for a false start, pushing the team back five yards. They moved back 10 more yards when he was called for illegal use of the hands on the next play.<\/p>\n

Dallas is already putting a lot of faith in Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele as their starters, which is questionable on its own. Knowing they don’t have any backups who are standing out as potential starters is even more concerning and should have the front office looking for help.<\/p>\n

Who could the Cowboys add?<\/p>\n

Outside of the penalties, the offensive line struggled in pass protection, leading to Nick Harris asking if the Cowboys will look for outside help<\/a>. He also quoted Jerry Jones, who said they would be paying close attention to the offensive line, particularly seeing if they can live up to expectations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking at those offensive linemen, the depth. It\u2019s a great opportunity for them in these preseason games for them to be what we need them to be. Depth in the defensive line, those guys are raising some eyebrows,\u201d Jones said.<\/p>\n

If they decided to do so, here are a few players who could be available. As a note, we won’t include Taylor Decker since he will expect a starting spot and the Cowboys seem dead set on their current starters.<\/p>\n

Jonah Williams\"Arizona<\/p>\n

Arizona Cardinals OT Jonah Williams walks off the field after the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

One veteran who can play as a swing tackle and has ties to offensive coordinator Klayton Adams is Jonah Williams. The 11th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft was a starter the past two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals but injuries limited him to 15 games. The main question will be if he’s healthty since Williams had shoulder surgery in 2025. If so, he could be a solid backup, and could use a season as a backup to re-establish himself going forward.<\/p>\n

Cam Robinson\"Jacksonville<\/p>\n

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson enters the field before a game against the Buffalo Bills. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Cam Robinson is entering his 10th season in the NFL and has plenty of experience. He has 114 starts in 117 appearances. He split time between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans in 2025 and has played for three teams since leaving the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. Despite being a journeyman as of late, Robinson would still be an upgrade over the current depth in Dallas and would be someone they could turn to as a long-term option in case of injury.<\/p>\n

Andrus Peat\"New<\/p>\n

New Orleans Saints guard Andrus Peat after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports<\/p>\n

A three-time Pro Bowler during his time with the New Orleans Saints, Andrus Peat has far more experience at guard. That said, he’s also taken snaps at tackle (including during the 2025 season<\/a> with the Pittsburgh Steelers) and while his best days are behind him, it wouldn’t hurt to see if he can turn back the clock at his original position under Adams’s direction.<\/p>\n

Thayer Munford Jr.\"New<\/p>\n

New England Patriots offensive tackle Thayer Munford Jr. before Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

A seventh-round pick out of Ohio State in 2022, Thayer Munford Jr. showed promise during his three seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He made 18 starts in 46 games before signing with Cleveland in 2025. He eventually made his way to the New England Patriots, where he posted a 74.0 pass blocking grade<\/a> from PFF.<\/p>\n

Munford played in five games with two starts for the Patriots before appearing in all four postseason games with another start. Mayer has yet to sign anywhere and is also recovering from a knee injury. If healthy, he would give the Cowboys a solid depth piece with plenty of experience.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u00a0Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter<\/a>\u00a0for more free coverage from\u00a0Dallas Cowboys on SI<\/a>\u00a0\u2014<\/p>\n

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