According to Dallas Cowboys reporter Michael Gehlken, the club is placing a second-round tender on Right Tackle Terence Steele. Steele was the team's starting tackle before suffering an injury near the end of the season.
He took over the spot in 2020 when former tackle La'el Collins went down with an injury. Additionally, he's arguably a free agent the team must prioritize this offseason.
Cowboys are placing the second-round tender on restricted free agent Terence Steele, a person familiar with decision said today. The right tackle is ahead of schedule in his return from ACL surgery.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 4, 2023
A second-round tender means three things.
- Other teams can reach a contract agreement with Steele – but the club can match any offer sheet.
- If the team decides not to match a possible lucrative offer that Steele may receive elsewhere, the team gets a second-round pick in compensation.
- With the tender placed on Steele, the front office has until April 21 to negotiate a long-term deal with him. If nothing materializes, he will play this year on a one-year, $4.3M (barring no other team pursuing his services).
While receiving a second-round pick may sound more enticing to fans, Steele proved he was a key piece on the offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus, Steele had a 73.9 overall grade, ranking 23rd out of 81 tackles. His strong suit was in the run-block game, as he had an 81.7 grade.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if the front office prioritizes one of their best young players, as he will likely have an interest around the league for teams who want to upgrade their run game.
There is a chance that Steele may command top money. And if history repeats itself, we know the front office is hesitant when they decide on handing out massive contracts to certain players.
Additionally, with Tyron Smith on the tail-end of his career, it would be smart to shore up the offensive line for the future. You can always pay Steele now, draft players to develop, and eventually replace him with someone if he's eating up your cap space in the foreseeable future.
But for now, do everything to keep the man. It's that simple. Or is it? I don't know. Maybe I have to stop thinking I'm playing franchise mode on Madden. But seriously, pay Steele.
