If there’s one thing we know about the Brian Schottenheimer era, it’s his commitment to building in the trenches; after all, his first draft class is being headlined by an offensive lineman. Ironically, that very selection could make Tyler Guyton the weak link of the group.
The 29th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Guyton, a former Oklahoma Sooner, experienced both highs and lows in his rookie season, though the lows were unfortunately more common.
Pressures allowed (per PFF) the last 2 weeks:
Tyler Guyton: 6
Tyler Smith: 5
Cooper Beebe: 4
Zack Martin: 4
Terence Steele: 6— Tom Downey (@WhatGoingDowney) November 6, 2024
He allowed far too many pressures and penalties, and his run blocking failed to deliver throughout most of the season.
With Alabama’s Tyler Booker joining the offensive line corps and Terence Steele showing signs of major improvement, we have to ask if Guyton is falling behind the pack just one year into his NFL career.
The Case For Tyler Guyton: Young Tackles Need Time
If anybody expected Tyler Guyton to come out of the gate firing, you just didn’t know his makeup as a prospect.
He was still around at pick 29 for a reason in 2024: he was, and perhaps still is, very raw. Guyton had just six years of experience playing offensive line when Dallas drafted him, including just 29 games of college ball.
When you mix that level of inexperience with one of the hardest positions to play in the hardest league, you’re going to get some rough early results.
Fans often cite Tyler Smith’s rookie season emergence, as he was deemed raw coming out of the draft, but there is no doubt that he was more prepared than Guyton as a rookie.
Trade back makes it feel a lot better, but Tyler Guyton is RAW. Not sure he’ll be ready to make much of an impact in year one, but think he is the long-term answer at LT or RT if the Steele stuff doesn’t improve quickly.
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) April 26, 2024
The Cowboys drafted Guyton with the expectation that it would take some molding before he got to an elite level.
Additionally, last year’s offensive line coach, Mike Solari, is now out of the building in exchange for former Kansas State o-line coach Conor Riley. That is a major, but underrated, change from a coach who struggled in Dallas to a very highly touted one.
In short, the case for Guyton is simple: we knew he needed time coming in, and as it turns out, he did. This year could still be a major leap forward if he works hard.
The Case Against Tyler Guyton: No Time To Waste
The Cowboys’ 2024 season was essentially a waste when Dak Prescott went down in October, but Tyler Guyton had been a major hindrance on the offense even before that injury. He was costing them drives.
Whether it be with his many penalties or struggles against top-level rushers, the fact is, he was a weakness, not a strength.
As Dallas looks toward a more promising 2025, it would be much harder to stomach that kind of impact at left tackle.
2024 Most Penalized Offensive Tackles:
81. HOU Laremy Tunsil – 19 penalties
80. DAL Tyler Guyton – 18
79. KC Jawaan Taylor – 17
78. BUF Spencer Brown – 16
t78. DEN Garrett BolesTaylor Decker has had only 11 penalties the last two seasons combined. Penei Sewell has had only 13.
— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) May 10, 2025
We’re talking about an organization that, for all its flaws, had a big offseason. With a new head coach and staff, a more active free agency and trade market, and a best-player-available draft class strategy, they seem poised to compete this season.
Prescott is going to need time in the pocket, and a fairly weak running back room will need help. To this point, Guyton hasn’t proved he can deliver that consistently.
It doesn’t mean he can’t, but when you look at Smith, Beebe, Booker, and Steele to the right of him, you have more answers than you have concerns. With Guyton, it’s the opposite, and that’s bad news considering his position is the most important one.
The Bottom Line: Truth In Both Arguments
Tyler Guyton’s situation is not as clear-cut as some fans are making it out to be.
There are multiple valid arguments when it comes to Guyton. He is absolutely a talented, yet raw and inexperienced player. His 2024 tape shows some serious potential, but it also shows those major concerns.
Right now, he is the weak link, but with a guy like him, the present doesn’t matter nearly as much as the future does; it’s about progressing forward.
Dallas cannot afford a stagnant progression from Guyton; a repeat of his rookie year could crush the offense this season, and a major leap could be the catalyst for a team-wide improvement.
If the rest of the offensive line lives up to expectations and Guyton elevates himself to a Pro Bowl level, there is no stopping this offense. Now, it’s just a matter of which version of him we see this year.