There are plenty of spots on the Cowboys roster where changes could be made, but one of the worrisome positions that Dallas has not had to worry about much in the past is that of left tackle. The team brought on Tyler Guyton from Duke in the first round of this year’s draft, and with his size and athleticism, the hope was that he would be able to plug the hole at tackle from the get-go.
That hole, of course, was left by the departure of Tyron Smith, the eight-time Pro Bowler who played his first 13 NFL seasons in Dallas before leaving in free agency for the Jets. Smith had trouble staying healthy in recent years and has, no doubt, slowed down at age 33, but he still remains a quality pass-protector and a valuable veteran.
Guyton, meanwhile, has proven to be in over his head. The Cowboys knew when they picked him that he would need time to develop, but the hope was that he would be able to do so quickly. Guyton has dealt with injuries, but has been out of his depth generally.
Guyton was out in Week 6, officially, because of a knee injury. But there are suspicions that the Cowboys just needed to give him a break after a rough first five games of his NFL career.
And if they’re going to continue to let Guyton develop off the field rather than on it, the folks at Bleacher Report have a suggestion: Bring in Charles Leno, a 33-year-old free-agent left tackle who was a former Pro Bowler and has 141 NFL starts under his belt.
Charles Leno Could Fill Gap at Left Tackle
In an article titled, “NFL Team Needs: Prioritizing Every Roster’s Biggest Weaknesses Before Week 7,” the B/R scouting department pegged Leno as an available free agent who could help the Cowboys fill in for Guyton.
The site wrote: “A defensive end was considered here given the news that backup-turned-starter Marshawn Kneeland tore his meniscus against the Steelers, furthering the Cowboys’ issues at the position. However, Micah Parsons should be returning soon, and the team has Carl Lawson on the practice squad just in case.
“Meanwhile, Tyler Guyton also suffered an injury in Week 5, and Guyton has struggled to begin his career, getting benched this past weekend. So, the front office should explore adding a veteran like Leno who has a strong track record in pass protection throughout his career.”
Cowboys Going Back To Tyler Guyton?
For now, at least, the Cowboys’ answer has been the one that many fans were clamoring for even before Guyton’s injury. In Week 6 against the Lions, they kicked Tyler Smith out to the left tackle spot and moved in TJ Bass off the bench to play guard. Dallas has resisted doing that because the team likes Smith at guard and prefers Guyton’s upside over Bass as a known commodity off the bench.
But Guyton has posted a 49.7 grade at Pro Football Focus in his five NFL starts, which ranks 70th out of 76 tackles in the NFL. For a team that needs answers quickly, the Cowboys can’t afford to keep experimenting with Guyton, not while there is such an obvious solution available.
On Monday, coach Mike McCarthy said that Guyton’s time on the bench would not be permanent, that it was only because of the knee injury. “He’s just kind of where he was all week,” Mike McCarthy said on Monday. “He’s not 100 percent.”
But adding a veteran tackle could give Dallas a bit more insurance.
