While the Cowboys weren't exactly quiet during free agency this spring, there is still plenty of work to do for this team that finished 7-10 in 2024.
Not only did they add some key players in free agency and via trades, but they also re-signed some of the core depth as well.
Still, there are other guys on this team that must take that next step in order for the Cowboys to be successful in 2025.
Today, we'll continue the Next Man Up series with cornerback Tyler Guyton.
- Name: Tyler Guyton
- Position: Offensive tackle
- Experience: 1
- Games Played/Starts: 15/11
- Years Left on Contract: 3 + 1-year team option
- How Acquired: 1st round (29th-overall pick), 2024 NFL Draft
- Key Stat: 1 sack allowed on 34 pass plays in rookie debut vs. Myles Garrett
The Past: Home sweet home. That was the immediate sentiment for Guyton as he returned to his native state of Texas to play for the Cowboys after he was given the call as their first-round pick out of Oklahoma last spring. He'd be forced to step into a massive void created by the departure of future first-ballot Hall of Famer Tyron Smith, though, and would also need to convert from right tackle to the blindside in the process. That is a lot to ask of a first-year guy(ton), but he got off to a roaring start in his debut as many outside the building expected him to be mauled by Myles Garrett, but he wasn't, and that meant something.
The Present: Things became uneven from there, having mostly silenced a future Hall of Famer in Cleveland, that game showing what Guyton can be at this level. The former Sooner would struggle against both penalties and injury over the remainder of the season, and found himself constantly working to reacquire the starting role from Chuma Edoga after having beaten the veteran for the starting spot in training camp. This offseason will serve as a much-needed reset for Guyton physically, as he takes lessons learned from Year 1 — training regimen and film alike — with the understanding that it's his show now at left tackle, and unequivocally.
The Future: The 2025 season will need to serve as a coming out party for Guyton, particularly with Edoga departing for the Giants in free agency and, at this moment, no veterans having been signed to replace him. Refining his technique and potentially bulking up a bit might serve the former first-round pick well in Year 2, as would blending any added muscle with his already elite footwork while working on, and trusting, his hand technique and placement. The tools are there, the time is now, and Guyton will be placed under an even brighter spotlight this time around — one he's not entirely unaccustomed to standing under as a former player in the Big 12 — although this specific light has been known to cause extreme sunburn for anyone unprepared for it. The Cowboys need Guyton to blossom … Sooner … than later … and believe he's up to that task.
