Sources: Cowboys Considering Change in Starting Lineup on Offense

“Focused,” McCarthy says of Connor Williams. “I love the way Connor has handled everything. Graded out very high on his participation last week. He is dialed in. He hasn’t blinked. Appreciate that from him.”

FRISCO - If it seems to you like the Dallas Cowboys are suddenly heaping praise on recently-benched offensive lineman Connor Williams, you're right. They are.

If it seems to you that there must be a reason for the sudden reversal of opinion on one of the NFL's most-penalized players ... you're right. There is.

Sources tell CowboysSI.com that the Cowboys are dissatisfied with the switch that allowed previous coaching staff favorite Connor McGovern to take over at left guard a month ago, and that as a recognition of the offense's recent struggles, the 9-4 Cowboys are considering another reversal of opinion that could see McGovern going back to the bench and Williams reclaiming his first-team perch.

Coach Mike McCarthy is not ready to confirm our sourced understanding that Dallas is considering elevating Williams. But on Thursday, McCarthy was as effusive in his praise of Williams as he was a month ago when discussing the super-sub McGovern.

“Focused,” McCarthy said of Williams. “I love the way Connor has handled everything. Graded out very high on his participation last week. He is dialed in. He hasn’t blinked. Appreciate that from him.”

Does Dallas "appreciate'' Williams enough to give him back the job he's held for the better part of four years? Consider the circumstances that led to his benching.

One, the sub-packages involving McGovern - sometimes lined up at fullback, sometimes at tight end, sometimes out wide in a receiver's stance - unveiled his athleticism. And it worked. And it was, respectfully, "cute.''

Two, Williams was a penalty machine.

The Cowboys never did say that Williams, who we're told could return to the lineup Sunday at the New York Giants, played poorly. But the penalties became a bit of a phenomenon. And maybe got into Williams' head.

The Cowboys now give Williams (who in the season’s first 10 weeks had 13 penalties) credit for battling through all of that.

From right guard Zack Martin: “It’s tough when another guy comes in at your spot,” Martin said. “You (tend to) kind of check out, but that’s something he did really well. He stayed locked in. He came to work every day. He prepared as if he was playing, so when this stuff comes up, he’s just right back into the mix.”

Back into the mix?

From QB Dak Prescott: Williams is "just a guy that comes into the building each and every day and tries to get better and tries to do whatever he can to help this team. Stayed consistent all the way through it, through everything, through the adversity obviously. Whatever he has to do, he’s willing to do it, and that’s all you can ask for in a teammate.”

It seems that Dallas is about to ask Connor Williams a familiar favor: To play left guard.