The Cowboys retool their offensive line depth with versatile replacements

Out with the old and in with the new is a common phrase, especially in today’s NFL.

It is a saying that Head Coach Mike McCarthy will have to wrap his head around once the deadline for the 53-man roster approaches.

The offensive line remains the position group in flux to a certain extent.

This much is true – the projected starting five of Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, and Terence Steele will provide a formidable wall for Quarterback Dak Prescott.

However, the depth behind them leaves something to be desired.

Newcomers from the draft, practice squad and free agency have arrived, ready to seize a roster spot. Players who made the roster last year may get left out in the cold, and others relegated to the practice squad.

We’ll walk thru three names that stand out.

Both Mike McCarthy and Mike Solari have the O-Line playing musical chairs

If he read this blog, Matt Waletzko may be shocked and appalled he made the list.

He walked in the building in 2022 as a 5th-round pick from North Dakota. Dallas maintains he is still an integral part of the offensive line group.

Injuries curtailed his rookie season; however, he enters his sophomore season healthy and ready to put some good work on tape.

For the front office, they did what any good leadership group would do.

They returned to the well and drafted another talented offensive lineman from the University of North Carolina, in the same fifth round, I might add, of the 2023 NFL Draft.

People are excited about rookie, Asim Richards, and for good reason.

Solid rookie performance by tackle Asim Richards.
He got off the snap well, showed patience, yet demonstrated quick footwork, and used his length extremely well to always drive the defender to the outside. Even when Will Grier ran into that sack, Richards did his job. pic.twitter.com/fXoXmfH9WZ

— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) August 13, 2023

Priority number one for Coach Solari should be identifying a swing tackle once all the dust settles.

Early on in camp, I would have betted a substantial amount of money that it was Chuma Edoga’s position to lose. His injury changes that a bit.

He might make it onto the roster in the same fashion that Tyron did last year.

That leaves the door wide open for the former Tar Heel. He has something Waletzko still lacks which is position flexibility.

He played left tackle in the preseason game versus the Jaguars, the first half against their starters.

In the second half, he held down the left guard position.

PFF's top 5 pass blocking grades for the Cowboys first preseason game:

Hunter Luepke 79.7
T.J. Bass 79.0
Rico Dowdle 74.6
Asim Richards 73.2
Deuce Vaughn 73.1

3/5 were the RBs.

— Matt Owen (@ProfessorO_NFL) August 13, 2023

Despite the high number of reps (39 pass blocking), he still produced a passing grade (73.2) on the blocking front.

Matt remains talented enough to at least compete and at the bare minimum be a part of the practice squad.

However, if week 1 started tomorrow, I’m inclined to give Asim Richards every chance to supplant Waletzko to fill multiple roles if needed.

It’s just my opinion though.

Josh Ball ousted by the undrafted free agent, TJ Bass

Don’t look now, but we have undrafted free agents left and right, leaving a mark on training camp and the preseason.

This year more so than before, we’ve had players not picked in the draft pushing for roster spots.

Third-year player, Josh Ball, received the first crack at the starting lineup when Zack Martin worked through his contract situation.

Simply put, he didn’t make the most of his opportunity.

A newcomer took the scenic route to the NFL. He was an outstanding player at Oregon, and some analysts had him as a draftable player.

Nevertheless, TJ Bass went undrafted and signed in one of the best opportunities in the NFL. People around the league are starting to take notice.

TJ Bass appears to be a gamer. Didn’t notice all that much in Oxnard but was dependable in his work vs JAX. Base. Body Position. Punch. All where it needed to be.

— BryanBroaddus (@BryanBroaddus) August 14, 2023

He played tackle most of his collegiate career; however, I’ve always looked at him as a guard. His size and strength in his base make him the perfect player to put in a ‘phone booth’ with a defensive tackle.

Conversely, Josh needs more power and foot speed to hold up on the interior.

My best guess is Dallas will walk away from him altogether. Last season, they carried nine offensive linemen, one of whom was an injured Tyron Smith.

The roster allowance and the uptick in play by TJ will make it hard for Josh to make this team.

Matt Farniok bumped by Brock Hoffman for the backup center spot

Since being drafted in 2021, Matt Farniok served as a utility player at times for the Dallas Cowboys.

He is a decent guard and can play some center. However, he’s not great at either.

Now, Brock Hoffman has come on strong and looks to have the inside track of the backup center position.

Will that push Farniok out the door? Maybe.

Technique, intelligence and a side of aggression are traits that centers need, and I see those in Brock.

Poor Sam Williams was on the wrong side of Biadasz’s bad side, but it was Hoffman who baited him into that.

On the final day of #Cowboys padded practice in Oxnard, the chippiness spilled over — Sam Williams and Brock Hoffman rep leading to full-on scrum.

Williams was upset at Hoffman on previous reps.

These guys are ready for the season. pic.twitter.com/byke0bGQ3F

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) August 16, 2023

It does go further than this, though.

I have to point to the numbers once again. For Farniok, if he is relying on his ability to play guard, that may not work in his favor.

If Asim Richards and TJ Bass can give you guard snaps, the attention goes directly on the center spot.

It’s easy math.

Brock being better at center than Matt, leaves the former Nebraska cornhusker in the wind.

It’s true that some of this may be considered mere speculation, but one thing that’s undeniable is the fact that Brock was listed as the backup center on the most recent depth chart released.

Richards, Bass, and Hoffman have momentum at the right time, which plays in their favor.