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Frisco, Texas — As we move into the second episode of Dallas Cowboys' “Open Market,” a series focused on NFL free agency, we learn from quarterbacks that it's their job to keep them on the straight and dirty. I look at a rather large human being. , and especially considering how shaky things were at the tackle position in 2023.
Terrence Steele has been awarded a new contract and is safely back from a serious knee injury that ended his 2022 season. It took him some time to get back into shape, but it stands to reason that another offseason of getting him healthy and ready will ensure he's back in top form in 2024.
The same optimism cannot be expressed at left tackle. Tyron Smith came into free agency in terms of his level of play after a bounce-back season, but he doesn't necessarily have great staying power. And the swing tackle position still leaves a lot to be desired in terms of knowing what's going on there.
for your information: *Be sure to check out the entire “What’s Next?”*” As an introductory book to the series.
Tyrone Smith: Entering the 2023 season, Smith appeared to be in the final stages of his illustrious career, at least physically. After all, he struggles year after year to stay on the field throughout the entire regular season, and the rise of rookie sensation Tyler Smith (and his ability to pop up to left tackle) has caused the older Smith to lose his spot. It looked like it was.
That turned out not to be true. Because even though Tyron Smith was sidelined again in 2023, he played in most games and looked phenomenal when he was on the field. A new practice regimen, i.e. no practice at all, could have extended his career by several years, which means re-signing him as a bridge in figuring out who will replace him. That means it's easy. Tyler Smith is completely solidified at left guard moving forward.
Chuuma Edga: But we know who is not his successor. Edga joined the roster as a free agent last spring, and to his credit, he had a quality start at left tackle early in Tyron Smith's absence and a forgettable training camp that was uneventful. changed.
But that wasn't the case at the end of the season. Especially when you look at the footage he left in a close loss to the Dolphins in Week 16, and head coach Mike McCarthy's actions immediately after that were telling. Edga's future in Dallas may or may not be that way.
Lael Collins: Edga's late-season struggles will likely force the Cowboys to reunite with former starting right tackle La'el Collins, who also played left tackle during his football career. Collins likely won't be on the field to finish the season, but the Cowboys may want to play with him again in free agency to see what role he can play in the swing tackle role competing directly with a young group. There is a good chance of getting it.
josh ball: The problem is that the group of young players has not yet inspired much confidence, and Ball is part of that equation. He has been tested in multiple positions, but he has not yet settled into any position. The former 2021 fourth-round pick, who has only played in 13 total games in his career, was placed on season-ending injured reserve prior to the final roster cuts in late August and made his final appearance in training camp. I would like to show and prove this. To come.
Given that he's entering a contract year with almost nothing on his resume at this point, which suggests an extension beyond the 2024 season, he has no choice but to do just that. would have no choice.
Matt Waletzko: I can't stress enough Waletzko's potential to be a quality swing tackle in the NFL, but his shoulders just don't sit well with me. He's currently the victim of both, suffering multiple subluxations that have continually put pauses on his young career thus far. He will work hard to return from his latest stint on injured reserve in December, but unlike Ball, he needs to make waves this summer, but unlike Ball, it's not just about the quality of the player. It's probably more about durability. play.
Now, compare both Waletzko and Ball to other inexperienced talents (such as Earl Bostic Jr. and Let's have him fight (names of current players, including former players in 2023). Fifth-round pick Asim Richards, a tremendous talent out of UNC who didn't get a single snap in a game as a rookie, is very likely a wild card in this equation.
Note: Restrictions will be lifted for these players on March 13th, unless they have signed a new contract with their current team before that date, and legal tampering cannot begin until March 11th.
Mekhi Becton: I'm bullish on this for several reasons. The first is that he's still only 24 years old, and not only does that give him a chance to earn the right to be one of the league's best swing tackles, but his age makes Smith's successor the It means that there is a chance to become He could practice at left tackle as early as 2025 (a strong selling point). This was also after learning all the tricks from the future Hall of Famer.
Those are his strengths, including his incredible athleticism for his size and the fact that he was the 11th overall pick (First Team All-ACC) in the 2020 NFL Draft for a reason, but his weaknesses include his recent This includes a history of injuries. However, the fact that he logged 16 games from 2023 balances it out for me here. The Jets did not exercise his fifth-year option after an injury-plagued 2022 season, meaning he will be on the market if he is still unsigned by March 13th. do.
Michael Onwenu: I like Onwenu for the same reasons as Becton: He's only 26 years old, so he's in a great spot right now to find a swing tackle who could be a starter in the near future. He's a former sixth-round pick in 2020, so he didn't have as much of a harbinger coming out of school as Becton, but he racked up 56 starts in this league over his first four seasons in this league.
That kind of durability is good to consider for the Cowboys' offensive line, which is often plagued by injuries. Additionally, Onwenu has the ability to play multiple positions on the O-line and could be a valuable backup in 2024, making him an absolute unit with an above-average anchor and strength comparable to Tyron Smith. It is. . Once he gets engaged, you're married until the whistle blows and forces him to file for divorce before his next game.
Jonah Williams: This may be a bit of a stretch, but it's not because Williams isn't capable of getting the job done. The issue here is that losing the LT1 spot with the addition of Orlando Brown Jr. caused a rift with the Bengals, but his recommitment to getting reps in RT1 has mostly mended things. That's what happened. As it turns out, he'll do just that, and to me, that means he's literally the perfect swing tackle candidate.
But like I said, there's a problem with him wanting to be a starter in this league. Returning to the selling point of the conversation with Becton, if the Cowboys present it as an opportunity to take over the job long-term after the 2024 season, I can see the ice with the team of 26 years being broken there. You can see it. -Former 1st round pick (11th overall in 2019).
Trent Brown: All things considered, if the Cowboys are looking for a veteran swing tackle who can quickly replace what they thought Edga would bring, this might have more speed. Brown is at the top of this group in age at 30 years old and has been in the league since 2015 as a seventh-round pick of the 49ers. Since then, he has spent time with the Raiders and Patriots (in two different stints) and has been in New England since 2021.
A former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, he brings a leadership ability to the locker room that the other free agents I listed don't have, and although he understands that his days as a starter are mostly gone, He started 11 games last season and has started 93 games in his career.
The next step for Dallas' LT1 is definitely something to figure out, but it's also true that they don't have a definitive veteran swingman right now, and Brown is a perfect fit for that to me.
