Cowboys Linked to Former No. 11 pick and Free Agent Amid Concerns with Guyton, Steele

The Dallas Cowboys have multiple tackle spots to be worried about during the 2026 season, so it wouldn't hurt to bring in more insurance.

Former Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Cowboys' offense should be its bread and butter once again in 2026, but the unit does have some concerns that could derail it.

Those concerns come at both tackle spots, where Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele have not played at a sufficient level the past few seasons.

Steele's streak of disappointing seasons sits at three. He gave up eight sacks and 54 pressures in 2023, and surrendered nine sacks and 41 pressures in 2024 and six sacks and 52 pressures in 2025. Penalties have also been a problem, with Steele tallying 21 during that span, including seven in each season, per Pro Football Focus.

Guyton allowed six sacks and 26 pressures in 15 games during his rookie year in 2024, and then in 10 games last season he gave up two sacks and 31 pressures.

Steele has at least seen some success in run-blocking, with the veteran garnering grades of 78.9 and 70.2 the past two seasons. Guyton improved from a 51.3 in 2024 to a 64.9 in 2025, but the third-year tackle still needs to bring that up more.

The Cowboys should've had competitions at both tackle spots, but they only officially have that at one, which is left tackle. That said, it's barely a competition, as Guyton has been getting all of the first-team reps over Nate Thomas this spring.

Cowboys connected to Jonah Williams

Former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Jonah Williams. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It definitely would not hurt for the Cowboys to bring in more competition and/or insurance at tackle.

Knowing that, CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo linked the Cowboys to offensive tackle Jonah Williams, who remains available on the free-agent market.

"Williams' recent injury history has undoubtedly hindered his market value," DeArdo wrote. "With that in mind, Williams' best bet might be joining a team that would use him as either a swing tackle or as a depth piece. That brings us to Dallas, where the Cowboys could use some experience behind starters Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele. While he hasn't lived up to his draft stock, the former 11th overall pick has nonetheless been a solid pass protector who has started in each of his 79 NFL games."

A former No. 11 overall pick, there's no doubt Williams' career has not gone as hoped. While he has started in 74 games and has a few thousand snaps at both tackle spots, his quality of play just has not been up to snuff overall.

Williams has three seasons north of eight sacks and 40 pressures, including a 2022 campaign in which he permitted career-highs in sacks with 12 and pressures with 43.

Injuries have been an issue for Williams over the past two seasons, as he's appeared in just six and nine games. In 2025, Williams gave up four sacks and 22 pressures in nine contests before succumbing to a shoulder injury.

In the year prior, Williams looked like he might post a career-best showing after not giving up any sacks and just seven pressures in six games, but a pair of knee injuries derailed his season.

Why Cowboys should sign Williams

Former Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is certainly nothing to get excited about when it comes to the prospect of signing Williams, but it's not like Dallas' existing options for competition and insurance at tackle are great.

Thomas allowed three sacks and 23 pressures in 219 pass-block snaps last season and put up PFF grades of 31.6 in pass-blocking and 52.9 in run-blocking. Rookie Drew Shelton is the other form of insurance the Cowboys have, but we have no clue what to expect from the fourth-round pick in his first season.

Assuming Williams gets the very cheap, non-guaranteed deal he is slated to get off two injury-plagued seasons in a row, the Cowboys have nothing to lose by bringing him in for camp.