The Dallas Cowboys have finished their preseason after losing to the New Orleans Saints, leaving them with some tough roster decisions to make.
One position group that won’t have as many tough decisions is the offensive line. A lot of their jobs were secure during training camp and preseason.
Entering training camp, though, there was a potential concern at left tackle with Tyler Guyton, and Tyler Smith also moved over to take reps there. The Cowboys ultimately decided to keep Smith at left guard and let Guyton hold the left tackle job. That looked to pay off, based on Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s high praise.
Dallas Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer Praised Tyler Guyton
After the loss to the Saints, Schottenheimer spoke with the media and was asked about the left tackle job. The head coach explained that Smith got zero reps at left tackle, and they liked what they saw from Guyton.
“Tyler Guyton is playing as good of football as I’ve seen him play since he’s been a Dallas Cowboy. … I think he’s playing at a very, very high level.”
Schottenheimer: “Tyler Guyton is playing as good of football as I’ve seen him play since he’s
Guyton was a former first-round pick of the Cowboys from back in 2024. Last season, Guyton allowed 31 pressures, 6 quarterback hits, and 2 sacks in 418 pass-blocking snaps. He also committed 7 penalties.
Pro Football Focus gave Guyton an overall grade of 57.5, ranking 71st out of 89 offensive tackles in 2025. He also had a pass-blocking grade of 50.0 and a run-blocking grade of 64.9.
Tyler Guyton Earned His Left Tackle Spot With the Cowboys in 2026
Guyton has to be happy with how things have gone in training camp. That’s a big compliment from Schottenheimer to get that kind of praise after some uncertainty on the offensive line.
This feels like Guyton could be in for a comeback 2026 season after experiencing some ups and downs last year. He’s got the most important job on the team: protect Dak Prescott.
Nothing else needs to matter for Guyton than to keep Prescott up and off the ground. Guyton did a decent job, but it was clear last year he had work to do.
During training camp, though, it has felt like Guyton has been taking a turn for the better in his development. He was getting better reps and winning more one-on-one battles in camp against defensive linemen.
Entering the 2026 season, things are certainly looking more positive than when they were beginning the year at Oxnard in July. Guyton has stepped up in a big way and now has no questions about the job for the year. Now it’s only a matter of whether he can play at a consistent level all season.
Brian Schottenheimer Made His Feelings Crystal Clear on Cowboys Protector