Overview
- Coaches have not named a starter at left tackle and said padded practices and the joint sessions with the Rams will be the next real test for technique under contact.
- Tyler Guyton has taken most first‑team reps but has not been declared the starter and carries durability and consistency concerns from 2024–25, including a 57.5 PFF overall grade, a roughly 50 pass‑blocking grade, 31 pressures allowed, six QB hits and seven penalties over 650 snaps.
- Nate Thomas, a 2024 seventh‑round pick who started multiple games in 2025 and left a positive impression, remains in the mix and could re‑enter the fight if he performs well in the upcoming padded work.
- The Cowboys pushed back on talk of moving three‑time Pro Bowler Tyler Smith to tackle, saying T.J. Bass’s increased first‑team guard reps and limited drills for Smith are workload management for veteran players rather than a position experiment.
- The outcome of the contact practices matters for protecting quarterback Dak Prescott and for roster decisions this fall because shifting Smith would carry both football and salary implications, so observers will watch the joint practices for a clearer pecking order.