As the Dallas Cowboys approach 2025, there are many unanswered questions about the team’s future, both in terms of the head coach and the roster that will take the field.
First, I’ll mention that the coaching staff, excluding Brian Schottenheimer, doesn’t appear as bad as I initially feared, based on paper and what people are saying. We’ll see how things go when September comes around.
Furthermore, the Cowboys have 25 players set to become free agents, including four former Pro Bowlers. That’s a daunting number to face.
Now, onto the main point of this post: the Cowboys will need two young players to make a significant leap this season.
Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe seem set to start on the offensive line in 2025, no matter what. The team is committed to them.
We saw Guyton’s raw talent during his rookie season, but he needs more time on the field to develop. That’s where it all starts.
Having only 14 starts at Oklahoma, all at right tackle, Guyton was still raw, and that was evident. He’ll need to improve his ability to play through minor injuries as well.
Asim Richards filled in well for him, and he might be able to create competition for the starting position.
I really liked Cooper coming out of Kansas State, and he performed decently for the Cowboys last season.
The great thing about him is that he can play both center and guard, which gives the Cowboys flexibility if they decide to find a better natural center than Beebe in the future.
Looking ahead to 2025, the Cowboys may not have future Hall of Famer Zack Martin.
His contract is expiring, and after an ankle injury caused him to miss a significant part of the season, he only played in 10 games. His priority is to get back to full health before making any decisions about his future.
“I’m focused on getting healthy,” Martin said via 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “I think people forget, I’m a free agent. So, I’m not under contract with anyone. First and foremost, I want to get healthy and then when free agency rolls around, see what’s going on, and then make a decision from there.”
If the Cowboys lose him, they’ll have another gap to fill.
Tyler Smith is a solid player, so there’s no concern there, but it looks like the team will be fully relying on young players like Beebe, Guyton, and possibly Terence Steele.
After Steele’s five-year extension, which could see him earn up to $86.8 million, he had arguably his worst season with the Cowboys. The team has the option to opt out of Steele’s contract in 2026.
The Cowboys recently hired Klayton Adams from the Cardinals as their new offensive coordinator; he was previously the offensive line coach there.
Starting right guard Will Hernandez is expected to test the market after his two-year, $9 million contract with the Cardinals expires at the end of 2024.
He was interviewed during Super Bowl week and said that Dallas had found the right guy.
Ultimately, the Cowboys will need to bring in another player from another team, or they’ll be hoping to draft someone who can make an impact like Tyler Smith did. However, Guyton hasn’t proven enough yet.
With a lot of issues to address before the season begins, relying on two young players in such critical spots will be a tough challenge.
