Dallas Cowboys backup in line to start Week 1 needs to clean up this mistake before it gets Dak Prescott in trouble
Nate Thomas had a solid NFL debut.
I’ll be honest: I’m nervous about the Dallas Cowboys’ left tackle spot going into Week 1 of the regular season. Starter Tyler Guyton has a shot at returning in time for the NFL Kickoff but as he deals with a knee injury, the Cowboys are gearing up for the scenario in which they need to play their second-team left tackle.
And though it’s true the Philadelphia Eagles lost key edge rushers this offseason, including veteran Josh Sweat, they still have a talented defensive line that could get backup Nate Thomas into trouble in his NFL debut.
Thomas—a 2024 seventh-round draft pick—has been getting first-team reps since Guyton’s injury as the coaching staff has praised his work behind the scenes. In Saturday’s preseason opener, the young player was able to prove why he’s earned that trust: In 10 offensive snaps, Thomas allowed a single pressure and didn’t really have a “bad rep.”
It was surprising and telling that Thomas played as little as he did. After missing his entire rookie year and being in line to protect Dak Prescott’s blindside in Week 1, I assumed the coaching staff would want him to get as many reps as possible. Brian Schottenheimer disagreed and even sat first-round rookie Tyler Booker. He cited workload as the reason why on Monday.
But even in limited playing time, Thomas displayed agility and mostly, strength. The mauler out of the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns found himself showing off his play strength in situations where he needed it to recover from getting into bad spots. Which leads me to the one thing he needs to clean up before the NFL Kickoff.
But there’s one thing Nate Thomas needs to clean up quickly
Though Thomas’ performance was a very positive one, one thing stood out on film that must be addressed or it could show up in the regular season: His hand placement and usage. Thomas’ hands can get too wide in pass protection and in run blocking, which allows defenders to get to his chest with ease. Keep in mind, offensive linemen want to create extension to have leverage on defenders.
In the play above posted by analyst and PFF Editor John Owning, you can see Thomas’ hands go outside the edge rusher’s shoulders, which allows the latter to generate some movement. Thomas is so strong and has good balance that allows him to recover but against starting-caliber edge rushers that might not be the case. It wasn’t when he faced Rams’ starter Jared Verse during last week’s joint practice.
If faced with savvy power rushers, Thomas could find himself in trouble unless he cleans up the technique quickly. With that being said, I’d argue his preseason debut went as well as it could’ve for a 10-snap performance. If the concerns are coming from plays in which he got the job done, that’s a good sign. I’m looking forward to seeing more of what he’s got in Week 2 of the preseason.
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