The calendar for 2024 is almost ready to turn to March, delving further into the NFL’s offseason.

The way the Cowboys’ season ended suddenly at home against the Green Bay Packers raises a lot of issues in Dallas.

Because eleven important players’ contracts are about to end and they become free agents, more doubts are raised.

The third and last piece in a three-part series analyzing the positions most impacted by the players who are now free agents is this one.

We covered the defensive ends and cornerbacks in parts one and two, and now we’ll look at the Cowboys offensive line for 2024.

For your information, the following is a list of the 11 important players who the Cowboys do not currently have contracts with for the 2024 season:

• LT Tyron Smith (starter)
• RB Tony Pollard (starter)
• CB Stephon Gilmore (starter)
• DE Dorance Armstong (rotational)
• S Jayron Kearse (starter)
• CB Jourdan Lewis (starter)
• DE Dante Fowler (rotational)
• DT Johnathan Hankins (starter)
• LS Trent Sieg (specialist)
• RB Rico Dowdle (rotational)
• C Tyler Biadasz (starter)

Present Prognosis

The contracts of veterans C Tyler Biadasz and LT Tyron Smith expired at the end of the 2023 campaign.

Regarding how to handle this circumstance, especially with Tyron, opinions differ.

Smith just finished his 13th season, which ended with an All-Pro 2nd team accolade, and was maybe one of his best seasons ever.

Dallas has finally discovered the key to Tyron’s season-long health: don’t let him practice at all.

I mean, does a 13-year veteran really need to be wearing down his body and mixing it up with defensive ends from the practice squad?

I’m going to say no, buddy.

Although Biadasz never quite lived up to our expectations of becoming Travis Frederick 2.0, throughout his four years in Dallas he was still a reliable pivot.

After the 2022 season, he will have one Pro Bowl bid throughout his term, but no more awards accompany it.

 

Free Agency

Tyron is a left tackle, and I would be more than glad for Dallas to bring him back on another incentive-filled one-year contract.

In the latter stages of his career, it will be his second Super Bowl run, but it’s also the smartest decision the Cowboys can make.

But let’s imagine that Tyron’s contributions to the Cowboys are no longer of relevance to them.

In that scenario, Dallas won’t really have any options when it comes to left tackle in free agency.

Their first-round pick in the 2022 draft was their answer, and it’s already inside the building.

The best choice makes sense is Tyler Smith. Though Tyron’s successor was drafted specifically for the All-Pro left guard, would Dallas make the move?

They may have kept Tyler at left guard for the foreseeable future, but I doubt they anticipated him to be a first-team All-Pro guard.

Tyron leads the current group of available free agency left tackles, which is only four guys long, therefore Dallas would most likely look to the draft to get a left tackle.

To keep things consistent, I could see Dallas keeping Biadasz at center for at least one more season.

If they choose not to, the following is a quick list of reasonably priced players who the coaches could consider adding if they believe backup Brock Hoffman isn’t capable:

• Brian Allen, a former member of the Rams,
• Jon Feliciano, a former San Francisco resident
• Nick Allegretti, a former Kansas City resident
• Pat Elfein, originally from Arizona

Draft

There are a few left tackles scheduled to be selected in the first round, as there are each season.

It’s worth repeating that left tackle is a premium position, and as such, every year there should be a draft dedicated to developing players.

Even if Tyron doesn’t re-sign, I don’t see Dallas selecting a left tackle in the draft.

For fun, these are the best left tackles in the draft who the Cowboys might be considering; they’ll just move Tyler to left tackle and figure out how to handle guard:

• Georgian Amarius Mims
• Guyton Tyler, an Oklahoman
• Arizona’s Jordan Morgan

In Biadasz’s injury-plagued absence at center, Dallas saw good performance from Brock Hoffman, but was it sufficient to inspire confidence for the full season?

I doubt it, and the Cowboys will likely try to sign Biadasz to a contract extension or sign a cheap replacement in free agency.

Here are some players they might be considering if they choose to address the position in the draft:

• Frazier Zach (West Virginia)
• Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson
• Duke Graham Barton
• Beebe Cooper (Kansas State)

No matter how the draft and free agency decisions turn out, a robust offensive line is essential for a team to make it far in the playoffs.

This offseason, it will be crucial to address the issues plaguing the offensive line.