Ex-Cowboys Starter Signed by Lions Ahead of NFC Championship

Getty Matt Farniok, formerly of the Cowboys

Considering the issues the Dallas Cowboys had over the past year keeping their offensive line intact, maybe they should have hung onto veteran center and guard Matt Farniok back in August, when the team let him go on the NFL’s 53-man cutdown day. Farniok has a chance for some revenge, though, because he’s found himself with at least a chance of playing in Super Bowl LVIII in two weeks in Las Vegas. He was re-signed by the Detroit Lions this week, albeit for a spot on the practice squad.

Farniok was a seventh-round draft pick by the Cowboys out of Nebraska in 2021, and showed some promise, getting snaps in special teams and spot duty on the offensive line. He played 12 games as a rookie, getting 72 special-teams snaps, and played seven games in his second season, even earning two starts at guard, and playing all three interior spots on the line during the season.

He was part of a full committee approach on figuring out how the second-string linemen would pan out, one that stretched back to OTAs in May. Back then, Farniok said his goal was to, “Just continue to do my job better than I did it yesterday. Learn from any mistake I make and don’t repeat it and just continue to be a better football player than I was.”

Matt Farniok Lost Out to TJ Bass

Unfortunately for Farniok, he struggled in pass protection throughout the preseason and the Cowboys surprised some by going with rookie T.J. Bass out of Oregon. Because of injuries along the line Bass wound up playing a significant role, logging 137 snaps at left guard and 204 at right guard. Bass started twice, first in the Week 3 loss to Arizona and then again in the Week 18 win over the Commanders.

His season grades at Pro Football Focus were not great—54.1 overall, 54.9 in pass blocking and 54.2 in run blocking—but they were an improvement over Farniok’s grades in his time in the rotation last year.

Farniok earned an overall grade of 39.1, with a 41.7 in run blocking and a 31.4 in pass blocking. He allowed seven hurries and 13 pressures in three weeks, and his playing time dropped off after that.

Farniok was originally signed by the Bears after his release back in September, and stuck with their practice squad for two months before the Lions signed him in December, releasing him just ahead of the start of the playoffs. But he’s back on the practice squad as an emergency option in Detroit.

Cowboys Offensive Line Is Unsettled

Of course, the offensive line is not going to be recognized as a glamor position with the Cowboys, and what happens to the offensive front won’t draw the headlines that contract decisions on Dak Prescott, Tony Pollard, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons will get. But it is a unit that closed the season in need of some future clarity.

Four offensive linemen missed at least one game during the season, led by tackle Tyron Smith with four. Smith is a 33-year-old free agent due to be replaced on the line, and his injuries would make that an easy choice, except that he is still among the best in the league when he is healthy.

Also a free agent is center Tyler Biadasz, who has been with the Cowboys for four seasons and is coming off his best year.

The Cowboys have more than $80 million committed to Terrence Steele, who struggled as he returned from ACL surgery, and will have backups Josh Ball (who missed the season with a hip injury) and Chuma Udoga also entering free agency.