It’s not been a good year, or a good couple of years, for that matter, for Dallas Cowboys starting right tackle Terence Steele. Going back to the knee injury he suffered in 2022, the Cowboys have stuck with Steele as the starter in every game since–54 in a row–but his performance has not warranted much faith from the team. In fact, he was a candidate to be cut or traded this offseason before he agreed to take a pay cut on new, $33 million contract, down from the $87 million deal he signed in 2023.
Further proof that the Cowboys may be looking for an offramp on Steele: The team traded for Broderick Jones from the Steelers last month, an indication that they will replace Steele as soon as Jones gets up to speed.
Entering Sunday, Steele was rated the No. 57 offensive tackle out of 70 at Pro Football Focus.
Terence Steele Must Hold Up Against Texans’ Top Pass-Rushers
This is an especially worrisome truth when facing the Houston Texans, as the Cowboys will do here in Week 4 on the road. That’s because the Texans have the most fearsome pass-rushing duo in the NFL, Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. Anderson is slated to line up opposite Steele on Sunday, and that’s got to be a concern for quarterback Dak Prescott.
Just as much of a concern: The Texans could throw the Cowboys off by flip-flopping the rush ends. Either way, Dallas will need to chip and double-team to help the tackle pairing of Steele and the much-improved Tyler Guyton.
Cowboys Must Cope With Pressure
Former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus, speaking on the pregame show on Sunday, highlighted Steele as the most worrisome spot on the depth chart for Sunday.
Said Broaddus: “Your biggest concern is the right tackle. They might throw a curveball at you today and turn around and you set all your protections for Anderson and you’ve been practicing all week thinking, right side, right side, right side. You’re thinking that, how you are helping right side, and all the sudden he rushes from the other side, but you feel better about Guyton.
“There’s anxiety there. There’s anxiety. There’s a couple things that, if you do block these guys, don’t miss plays.”
Cowboys $33 Million Starter Tabbed ‘Biggest Concern’ vs. Texans