Joint practice exposes Dallas Cowboys flaw that raises serious questions right before the 2026 NFL season
It took one practice with another NFL team for the Dallas Cowboys to be reminded of a flaw in their starting lineup that may or may not seriously impact their high-powered offense.
One of the major storylines from this Dallas Cowboys training camp was always going to be all about the offensive tackle’s pass protection. It was one of the few concerns for the high-powered Cowboys offense of 2025. With both Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele set to return as starters, their development was already considered crucial.
And while most of the focus has been on Guyton so far, the attention shifted toward right tackle Terence Steele on Tuesday. And not for a good reason.
Steele struggles in Cowboys’ practice with Rams
The Cowboys took on the Los Angeles Rams on a joint practice on Tuesday. And even though Myles Garrett was held out, Steele noticeable struggled in pass protection. The practice happened behind closed doors, so there’s limited video on it, but here’s a behind-enemy-lines look at how Steele’s day went.
Reporting for The Athletic, Nate Atkins wrote this about Rams edge rusher Byron Young: “Byron Young had a field day against Cowboys right tackle Terence Steele. He won with speed around the edge, one time so freely that he actually overran a sack that Prescott turned into a short scramble by dipping around his speeding body. He won with the bull rush at times, including one rep where he drove the pocket back so deep into Prescott that the Cowboys quarterback was left chucking the ball over McDuffie’s tight coverage on the outside just to get it away.“
The Cowboys beat agreed with that takeaway, with many pointing out Steele’s struggles.
“It wasn’t until the two-minute session at the end of practice where Steele settled in and found some wins,” Nick Harris wrote on his practice notes for Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Big deal or small deal?
You never want to overreact to one practice but Steele’s struggles are a serious concern because his pass protection has declined for a few years now. In other words, this practice certainly doesn’t feel like an exception.
For an offense with expectations so high that players decided to nickname it the “Greatest Offense There Is,” concerns about pass protection matter. Prescott was a Top 10 quarterback avoiding pressures turning into sacks, but he was the third-most pressured QB in the league.
So yes, Steele’s play should be a worry for the Cowboys.
However, I also don’t believe Steele’s struggles are something that can derail the Cowboys season. NFL offensive lines rarely are perfect. Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams will likely come up with schematic solutions to alleviate the right tackle situation.
That will be more attainable should left tackle Tyler Guyton continue to play well. So far, he’s had a very solid training camp, which continued on Tuesday against the Rams. If he develops to the point of not being a concern, the Cowboys will be more easily able to help out Steele with the Xs and Os.
At minimum, it’s a story to monitor closely (though I find it unlikely Steele will play in the preseason). The Cowboys were able to overcome pass protection woes last year, but it’s a dangerous game to play with a 33-year-old quarterback with a lengthy injury history.
Hopefully, it was a bad day Steele can easily bounce back from. If not, the Cowboys better be ready to deal with a flaw in protection by September.
