Dallas Cowboys Offensive Lineman Getting Added Opportunity Thanks to Injury

Dallas Cowboys backup guard T.J. Bass is getting a look at another position thanks to an injury to one of the team's backup offensive linemen.

Dallas Cowboys guard T.J. Bass. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys have multiple spots to lock down along the offensive line this offseason, including at backup center.

We know Cooper Beebe will start once again in 2026, but as we learned in 2025, when Beebee missed time due to injury, having someone reliable to back him up is important.

The Cowboys had that guy in Brock Hoffman, who started in six games in relief of an injured Beebe last season. However, Dallas has to replace Hoffman after he left in free agency to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dallas signed Matt Hennessy in free agency and the expectation has been that he will take Hoffman's role in 2026, but the veteran is dealing with a neck injury that required surgery and will be out for an unknown amount of time.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer noted that Hennessy will likely begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. If so, he will miss at least the first four games, which means the Cowboys must find someone else to back up Beebe.

T.J. Bass is next man up at backup center

Dallas Cowboys guard T.J. Bass. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, T.J. Bass has been the next man up at backup center with Hennessy sidelined.

"Matt Hennessy suffered a neck injury during OTAs and will be out for an undetermined length of time," Watkins said. "That’s pushed T.J. Bass to backup center. Bass took snaps with the first and second team offense during OTA practices."

A former undrafted free-agent signing of the Cowboys in 2023, Bass has spent the last three seasons in Dallas and once again proved to be a good backup after posting Pro Football Focus grades of 65.8 in run-blocking and 62.9 in pass-blocking.

While he has played over 1,000 snaps for the Cowboys since his rookie season and no doubt been reliable, he has never played a single NFL snap at center, and he didn't play the position in college, either.

Bass isn't a total stranger to the position, though, as the Cowboys have given him a look at center in practice over the years and he was in the running for the starting job in 2024 before Beebe won the competition.

There's reason to believe the Cowboys can successfully add center to Bass' already versatile repertoire that includes left tackle, also, where he also played in college.

After all, the Cowboys converted Beebe to center after he did not play a single snap at the position in college.