3 YOUNG Players Who Could SHIFT Offseason Plans For Dallas Cowboys | Jaydon Blue's Future Outlook!

Summary

Locked On Cowboys Podcast Summary

Episode: 3 YOUNG Players Who Could SHIFT Offseason Plans For Dallas Cowboys | Jaydon Blue's Future Outlook!
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool
Date: February 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Locked On Cowboys dives into how three young players—Shamar James (linebacker), Jaydon Blue (running back), and Tyler Guyton (tackle)—could impact the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason decisions. Marcus and Landon analyze whether these emerging talents can fill critical roster spots or if Dallas will need to invest further in free agency or the draft. The episode also touches on key NFC East news, notably Philadelphia’s loss of legendary offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, and what that means for the Cowboys’ competitive outlook.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eagles’ Offseason Troubles & Implications for Cowboys

Timestamps: 00:11–04:15

• Jeff Stoutland leaves Eagles:
  • Marcus breaks the news that Eagles O-line coach Jeff Stoutland is leaving, highlighting this as “a huge deal” for the NFC East.
  • Landon emphasizes Stoutland's outsized influence on the Eagles’ success, comparing him to star executives and coaches:

    “He was as much responsible for the Eagles winning the Super Bowl…as really any other single person in that organization.” (01:51)

  • The hosts point out the Eagles’ downtick in hiring Sean Manion as OC—seen as uninspired—suggesting Philadelphia is “trending in [the] wrong direction” (03:51).
  • Implication: With Philadelphia faltering, the NFC East outlook potentially brightens for Dallas.

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2. Shamar James: The Key to Linebacker Room Decisions

Timestamps: 04:15–09:18

• Assessing Linebacker Needs:
  • Marcus explains that a lot hinges on what new coaches think of Shamar James:

    “If you think he’s a nobody who’s a special teamer, then you’ve got to go out and find a starting linebacker… But if you think Shamar James is like a low level starter, high level backup…maybe you can wait till day two to add another body.” (04:35)

  • Landon draws parallels to last year’s discussions about DeMarvion Overshown and Leo Fou:

    “I think…[James] helps gauge how serious the need is…do we spend a first round pick?” (05:13)

  • Acknowledgment that linebacker is “an incredibly deep class” this year, making the Cowboys’ assessment of James even more strategic.
  • Both hosts admit the Cowboys are not banking on James to be a star, but his growth could shift priorities:

    “We’re not delusional here…we’re talking about him as…could he be a low-end linebacker two, high-end linebacker three?” — Marcus (06:57)

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3. Jaydon Blue: Uncertain Future at Running Back?

Timestamps: 09:18–18:34

• Blue's Role & Professionalism:
  • Discussion on Jaydon Blue’s limited 2025 snaps—with Marcus asking:

    “Do you think there’s any chance he could impact Cowboys plans at running back this offseason?” (12:28)

  • Landon: Blue’s chance comes from off-field growth (“how often is he showing up in the locker room?”), referencing Blue learning professionalism from Javonte Williams.
  • Clear that Dallas needs a “lightning” back to pair with Williams’ “thunder,” but reliability and preparation are crucial:

    “All signs have pointed to this guy being an incredibly talented guy. But…unless you’ve got the kind of work ethic…you’re not going to have the impact.” — Landon (12:34)

  • Draft Decisions as Indicator:
    • Marcus notes that whether Dallas spends a mid-round pick on a RB, or “close[s] the book” on Blue, will reveal their internal estimation of his ceiling. (14:20–15:13)
    • Landon reiterates there’s no draft capital pressure to “make fetch happen” with Blue:

      “Whether Jaden Blue is a part of this conversation remains to be seen…I feel like the Cowboys have to kind of pretend like he’s not on the team, and then hope to be pleasantly surprised.” (15:13, 18:34)

  • Both hosts agree: If a RB is drafted in the top rounds, the writing is on the wall for Blue.

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4. Tyler Guyton: The Tackle Spot’s Hinge Point

Timestamps: 19:21–28:07

• Guyton’s Upside and Durability Concerns:
  • Marcus sets the scene: Guyton showed growth but struggled with injuries. Dallas also faces questions at RT with Terence Steele (cap number, declining play) and Nate Thomas (inconsistent as swing tackle):

    “Tyler Guyton’s the key one here. What do you think the Cowboys think of Tyler Guyton going into year three?” (23:16)

  • Landon’s take:

    “What I saw from him this year when he was healthy was encouraging…that is our left tackle. The question is can we keep him on the field?” (23:22)

    • Notes Guyton’s improvements in body composition and flexibility, but acknowledges flukey, random injury string in 2025.
  • The hosts flag the need to solidify backup/swing tackle (“Nate Thomas plus a draft pick or veteran”—24:58) but are not ready to shuffle the O-line and move Tyler Smith to LT:

    “No interest in moving Tyler Smith out to left tackle and moving Guyton to right tackle. Not by Tyler Smith.” (28:01)

  • On Terence Steele’s fate:
    • Marcus: “Is it worth the cap savings?...If you cut Terence Steele…you’re also opening up another spot that needs to be filled…”
    • Landon replies: They might work with Steele to restructure, in favor of continuity.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jeff Stoutland’s departure:

  “The smell downwind from Philadelphia right now is not great. It smells like rotting bodies right now…Philly is not trending in the right direction.” — Landon McCool (02:26)

• On Shamar James’ role in draft priority:

  “If this coaching staff likes him, I could actually see the Cowboys ignoring linebacker in free agency and waiting until the draft…If they don’t think he’s anything, maybe they have to do both.” — Marcus Mosher (06:57)

• On Jaydon Blue's off-field growth:

  “We’ve heard he’s developed a friendship with Javonte Williams…trying to learn how to be a little bit more professional…that kind of trust…is going to be an important first step.” — Landon McCool (12:34)

• On evaluating running back needs:

  “Teams can’t lie during the NFL draft. If we see the Cowboys trade up into the third round for a running back, it’s going to be a pretty good sign what they think of Jaydon Blue.” — Marcus Mosher (18:34)

• On tackle stability:

  “I am encouraged enough by what I’ve seen [from Guyton] when he’s been healthy to feel like…we can move forward with this situation.” — Landon McCool (24:58) “No interest in moving Tyler Smith out to left tackle and moving Guyton to right tackle. Not by Tyler Smith.” — Marcus Mosher (28:01)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Philadelphia/Jeff Stoutland Fallout: 00:11–04:15
• Shamar James & Linebacker Priorities: 04:15–09:18
• Jaydon Blue & Running Back Decisions: 09:18–18:34
• Tyler Guyton/Tackle Future: 19:21–28:07

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Tone & Takeaways

Marcus and Landon bring candid, slightly irreverent analysis—heavy on inside-baseball roster nuance, but always connected to what it means for offseason strategy. They blend optimism about Dallas’ youth with realism about depth and uncertainty, emphasizing that while there are intriguing in-house options, each young player’s progress will directly steer draft/free agency investment.

For fans: This episode offers a grounded yet hopeful look at Dallas’ offseason puzzle pieces—how much trust to place in homegrown talent versus the need for new blood at linebacker, running back, and tackle, all while monitoring their division rivals’ missteps.

Transcript

[Marcus Mosher]

Foreign.

[Landon McCool]

Podcast network your team every day.

[Marcus Mosher]

The 2026 off season is just about to begin for the Dallas Cowboys. We're going to tell you three veterans who could have a big impact on their decision making next. You are Locked on Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Welcome back to the Locked on Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. We'd like to thank you for making us the number one sports podcast network. And today's episode is brought to you by Prize Picks. Download the Price Picks app today and use promo code locked on NFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Welcome back. I am your host, Marcus Mosher. He is Landon McCool. And on today's show, we're going to take a look at three players who could really decide what the Cowboys do and prioritize not only in free agency, but also with trades in the draft. We'll talk about Tyler Guyton. We'll talk about Jaden Blue. We're going to start with Shamar James. But before we do that, got a little bit of news out of Philadelphia. Jeff Stoutland, their awesome offensive line coach, is moving on from the team. He hasn't taken another job yet. He wasn't fired. It sounds like he just wants to leave. And the reason why we're mentioning it on today's show is because it's a huge deal.

[Landon McCool]

Oh, yeah. I mean, it's, look, they're on super bowl row today and they're talking about a lot of stuff. This is the biggest news of the day and I don't think anyone's talking about it because to me, like, he was as much responsible and I you and I talked about before the show, he was as much responsible for the Eagles winning the super bowl being a team that they are a lot of their success as really any other single person in that organization. As much as Howie Roseman, as much as Nick Sirianni. Like, he is the best position coach at the position where having a good position coach is the most important. And he's the best position coach in the league. And I think he's shown it in and out. I mean, he's taking having to go draft a left tackle off your plate by just being able to transform a, you know, six, eight rugby player into a Pro bowl level left tackle. So, yeah, it's a huge blow for the Eagles and I will say even beyond that, too. Just like the obvious loss in coaching brain power and talent is it Just things. The smell downwind from Philadelphia right now is not great. It smells like rotting bodies right now. Like, Philly does not look. It is not trending in a right direction from the Philippines.

[Marcus Mosher]

Yeah, that's a team that feels like they're cooked. And if you're a Cowboy fan, which obviously you are because you're listening to this podcast or you hate the Cowboys.

[Landon McCool]

And you're crying right now, it's.

[Marcus Mosher]

It's great news for the Cowboys because it presents an opening like he's been able to do so much not only with elite talent, but whenever they've had injuries or whenever they needed to develop guys or draft guys, they've been really good because Stoutland's been incredible. Think back to, like when the Cowboys had Bill Callahan in 2016 or 2014, how good that offensive line was. Not just because you had hall of Fame caliber players, but because you got them to play together. And it's like that plus somebody who's also able to develop players into, you know, they've never played the game before, into Pro bowl players. Huge loss for Philadelphia. And that's why we're starting the show with him.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, absolutely. And it's relative to us. I mean, it's just because it shows you maybe the trend of the Eagles off season overall. They hire Sean Manion, who is not exactly an expired offensive coordinator choice. And you know that it's not inspired because he was basically their eighth choice. Like, you know, like they interviewed up to 10 guys who all either politely declined or took jobs elsewhere. Yeah. It just. Things don't be to be seen to be trending well in Philadelphia right now.

[Marcus Mosher]

All right, let's talk about our team for a second. Let's talk about Shemar James because I'm looking at this linebacker position, and like you and every other Cowboy fan, we'd like to see the Cowboys improve that room this offseason. But I think a lot of how they're going to address the position position depends on what Christian Parker and the rest of the coaching staff thinks of Shemar James. Because if you think he's a nobody who is a special teamer, then you've got to go out and find a starting linebacker either in free agency or early in the draft. But if you think Shemar James is like a low level starter, high level backup, well, maybe a linebacker in round one isn't the biggest need. And maybe you can kind of cobble together with your linebacker core that you have right now, and maybe you can wait till day two to add another body But I think Shemar James, who's extremely young, who's like three years younger than a couple of the linebackers in this class, it's going to be an important piece for this Cowboys team going into the off season.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, I mean a lot like in the conversation that we kind of had last year about Leo Fowl, I think that's, you know, similar to what we're talking about here with, with, you know, with James. I, I think the question is not necessarily like, do you ignore a linebacker in this draft because of how you feel about Jamar James? I don't think that that's necessarily the question, but I think it helps kind of gauge to you how serious the need is there. Right. And whether it frames it in the situation of, well, do we need to go out and spend a first round pick on another linebacker or do we feel like Shemar James could be part of a rotation that's comparable if we went out and decided to, you know, roll with the Marvi and overshone and then maybe, you know, if we get another day to pick somehow, some way you spend a day to pick. And I think it's, it's not even just those pieces of information, just to be honest. Like, it's also the fact that this is an incredibly deep linebacker class. And I think that it's, it's easy to kind of paint a picture with all of these elements. Hey, I kind of like Shemar James or a little bit. You go back and do a review, you comb over his snaps, you have the coaches, the new coaches look over him and see what they think of him. And, and if they think that maybe he could be part of a rotational situation, it just allows you to kind of push the resource spend on the linebacker. Maybe it's out of the first round because you feel like not only are you getting a higher quality than normal guy that you could get in the a normal second or third round because of the depth of the class, but also you're getting the opportunity to go fill your other two maybe even bigger needs in the first round with players that are appropriately priced with first first round picks.

[Marcus Mosher]

And we're not delusional here. Like, the Cowboys aren't banking on Shamar James to be like the next Luke Kely or anything like that. We're talking about him as like, could he be a lowend linebacker two, high end linebacker three and if he's not that, then maybe linebacker is a bigger need than we're even anticipating. So that's, that's kind of the thought process here is if this coaching staff likes him, I could actually see the Cowboys ignoring linebacker in free agency and waiting until the draft to grab somebody. But again, if they don't think he's anything, maybe they have to do both. Maybe they have to go out and sign to Kobe Dean and spend a early round pick on a linebacker. Because we should also mention demarvi and Overshone is going into the final year of his contract. Yeah, I think the Cowboys would like to have him back, but he's not been the most durable. And you wonder what he's going to look like physically after all of these knee injuries. And what is it going to look like two, three years down the road? I think Shemar James, if he can prove this offseason that he can be at least a reliable backup, maybe that does change how they're prioritizing these needs.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, and, and, and Leo foul too. Like, I, I think he's a similar kind of situation with a year, an extra year gone on his contract holding. But, but I, I think, you know, to me, Shemar James is the guy that's the more likely to be the better fit. I think just because of what we saw last year, he's better. He's a better athlete. You know, I just think. Yeah, and overall. And I think that, you know, overall, you saw, you know, improvement from him as the season went on. I think that, you know, we've seen enough of some of these other guys that it's. It's Jamar James that at least. And again, like you said, it's not that we all are recognizing that linebacker is a need here. I think what Marcus is just laying out pretty heavily is that linebacker is a position that they are going to spend resources on heavily. Whether it's free agency, the draft or likely both they are going to be spending here. It's about how much do you need to prioritize high quality resources on it because you have other positions where you absolutely still need to spend high quality resources. Can Shamar James blunt your linebacker need enough that you feel like, hey, we can spend a day to picking and a veteran and that and that grouping of those guys plus Jamar James is enough to get this done.

[Marcus Mosher]

All right, let's talk about Jaden Blue, who really didn't play at all until week 18. Is he going to have any impact in the Cowboys offseason plans? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel. It's the last call for football on FanDuel. We one final Sunday, one last kickoff, the final chance to get in on the action before the NFL season officially comes to a close. This is Super Bowl 60, and FanDuel is making sure that you're right in the middle of it with a special offer just in time for the biggest game of the year. Whether you're backing the favorite, riding with the underdog, or building one last same game parlay, this is the game that that everyone's been waiting for. So if you're a new customer, all you have to do is bet just $5 and get $200 in bonus bets. If your bet wins, make it count. Because after the super bowl, the season's over. We've got to wait like seven more months for football. Again. It's the last call for football on FanDuel, the official sportsbook partner of Super Bowl 60. Visit FanDuel.com to get started. This episode is brought to you by Zoc Dock Finding a doctor that you actually like and feel like discovering a diamond in the rough. Sure, you want someone who's in network nearby and has availability, but you also want a doctor who listens and makes you feel comfortable and explains things clearly. That kind of doctor exists and finding them is easy with ZocDoc. ZocDoc is a free app and website that helps you find and book high quality and in network doctors so you can find someone you love without all of the hassle. We're talking about booking in network appointments with more than 150,000 providers across all 50 states covering over 200 specialties from primary care in dentistry to dermatology and eye care. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and go to Zocdoc.com/NFL to find it instantly. Book a doctor that you love today. That that's Zoc.com lot NFL Zocdoc.com lot NFL and thanks to ZOC Doc for sponsoring this message. Welcome back to the Loton Cowboys Podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. If you haven't done so already, check out the new everyday or club you're going to get ad free episodes to the Loton Cowboys Podcast available on all podcast app for just $5 a month. Go to locked on cowboys.supercast.com or check out the link in the show notes. All right, let's talk about Jaden Blue, who was somebody that we were really excited about during the off season. We were excited about during the preseason for a little bit, but he was on and off the field with injuries. Didn't see him much until the Denver game. He fumbles the ball. Then we literally didn't see him again until week 18. Do you think there's any chance that he could impact Cowboys plans at running back this off season?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, I think that the chance that he does is going to.

[Marcus Mosher]

Be.

[Landon McCool]

You know, his, his opportunity to show it is going to be in places that we're not going to get to see. It's going to be in. How often is he showing up in the locker room? We've heard that he's, he's developed a, a friendship with Javante Williams and that he's, you know, trying to learn how to be a little bit more professional and kind of how to, you know, follow along in his footsteps a little bit and, and know how to do the, the. The dance of a professional NFL running back. And that's going to be key. And I think that kind of trust that he's, you know, investing time in his craft to get better, I think is going to be an important first step because, yeah, I mean, all, all signs have pointed to this guy being an incredibly talented guy. But, you know, unless you, you've got the kind of work ethic and you can be put on the field and relied upon, you're not going to have the impact. And, and that's, you know, especially when you and I have talked about a lot that the Cowboys are really, really in the market for a running back, too, right now. I think Malik Davis did a very admirable job, but I think, you know, the Cowboys could really use another back that they could feature specifically, I think a lightning to the Vonte Williams Thunder, as it were, because it sounds like they are bringing back Williams or at least they're going to try to. So, I mean, obviously Jaden fits that to a tee, but if he can't be relied upon enough, then you definitely feel like you need to go out in free agency or in the draft and find somebody that can be a pairing with Williams because you just felt like you gave him way too many touches this year. And you've got to solve that. Whether it's Jaden Blue or somebody else or a combination, it's got to get solved one way or another.

[Marcus Mosher]

It feels very much like they're going to bring back Javonte Williams or sign a veteran of similar talent. Right. Like whether. Again, we could go through the names, but Rico Dowdle, Naji Harris, again, I'm not saying it's going to be those names, but you guys get the idea. I think the interesting part is do they spend a mid round pick, whether that's a third, fourth or fifth on a guy to be the backup, or have they seen enough where they want to continue to develop Jaden Blue and let him try to grow into that role? Because if you spend again, I'm gonna make up a name if you spend a fourth round pick on Jade Knot from Oklahoma. They're kind of closing the book already on Jaden Blue and maybe they have again. We don't know for sure, but I think what they do in the draft will tell us a lot about what they think of Jaden Blue going into the 2026 training camp, at least.

[Landon McCool]

I mean, honestly, I think we all have these expectations because we know the player and I think we talk about it and I think we get a lot of questions about when are they going to play Blue, when are they going to play? I mean, he wasn't, he was a day three pick, you know, so there's no commitment to like having to feel like you, you need to make this, make fetch happen. As they say, if you see a guy in the fourth round that you feel like is a quality running back, I mean, go take him. I think whether Jaden Blue is a part of this conversation is. It remains to be seen. I think is going to be something that's going to be determined when probably, like I said, when we don't see football and then later when we do see football at OTAs and eventually training camp. But I, I don't think that there's anything that he can do between now and then, you know, that hasn't already been done with his tape from 2025. That. That is going to change whether or not the Cowboys are feeling like they have to invest in the position outside of him this year. Because I do. I feel like that's a resounding yes. It's. It's just about how much are you going to rely on this guy that you, you didn't even draft until day three. When you're looking at all the things that are available and what you want to spend.

[Marcus Mosher]

What's crazy is the tape almost doesn't matter for Jaden Blue. Right? Like, if he would have looked awesome in week 18, I, I don't know if that really. I mean, he did look awesome. Like, he looked really good.

[Landon McCool]

He looked good in week 18. Yeah.

[Marcus Mosher]

I honestly don't know how much it matters in either direction. Right. Because for him to become the RB2 almost has nothing to do with what he's doing on the field and everything with how he's preparing and, and how he's practicing. Right. Like, if these coaches don't trust you, even if you're a gamer a little bit, like, okay, that's great, but we need to trust you to be in meetings on time and taking notes and learning how to practice the right way and being available again. It sounds like Jaden Blue made strides in that, you know, in those areas this, you know, year. Hopefully he's really young. I think he's 21 years old. Hopefully you see that continue during OTAs and mini camps and training camps. But for him to even get a shot, that's the thing he's got to nail down first.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. I mean, again, it's, it's almost just like what we talked about with the, with the last situation with Jamar James. It's, it's. You're. You're gonna have to go get a running back. Right. Like there's. Because, because you didn't see anything from Blue that made you feel otherwise in the 2025. And last year was the proving ground for whether or not he could be, let's say, a feature back next to Javante Williams. Right. But that, that opportunity just never happened. So since that never happened, maybe something changes in training camp, maybe something changes in OTAs, but that's not when your, your talent acquisition period is. And you've got to get the talent in this position to secure that you are going to have a running back, too. So, yeah, I think whether you feel like you need to go out and get a certain talent type of. Of running back because of how you feel about the trajectory of Jaden Blue, maybe that's on the table. But honestly, at this point, I, I feel like the Cowboys have to kind of pretend like he's not on the team and then hope to be pleasantly surprised when they show up in Oxnard.

[Marcus Mosher]

Our guy, Sigmund Bloom from Football guys always says that teams can't lie during the NFL draft. And if we see the Cowboys, like trade up into the third round for a running back, it's going to be a pretty good sign what they think of Jaden Blue. Probably not in a great way know direction, but if they don't draft a running back at all, like if we see them go all seven rounds without drafting a running back, maybe that's an indicator that, hey, they, they do want to put some, you know, some faith. Faith in Jaden Blue and give them more opportunities in year two.

[Landon McCool]

Well, and the, the need of defense looms large here too. Right. Like if they're trading up in the third round to go get a running back after only spending two first rounds on on defense, that means they're looking past another really big need on defense to go get a second running back. And that shows you probably what they feel about Jade.

[Marcus Mosher]

By the way, I wouldn't be surprised if they do something like that because their fourth round pick is fairly early. I wouldn't be surprised if they use some, you know, later round draft capital. So maybe some 2027 draft capital to go from. I think it's what, pick 112 or something like that into like the low 90s or high 90s just to go get a player that maybe you had a top 60 grade on. That feels very likely. And if it's a running back, that won't be a great sign for Jaden Blue. Let's talk about Tyler Guyton, who had a good sophomore season, albeit they struggled to stay healthy. What are the plans for Tyler Guyton long term? We'll get to that next this episode is brought to you by Indeed. If you've ever hired someone who looked good on paper but wasn't the right fit, you know how important that is when you want candidates who truly match what you're looking for. Trust Indeed. Sponsored Jobs Hiring Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other sites. Indeed Sponsored Jobs puts your post at the top of the page and helps you reach the right candidates faster. If I ever needed to hire someone for the show, I would go straight to Indeed and be very specific about what I needed real experience and not just some resume buzzwords. So spend more time interviewing candidates who check all of your boxes with less stress, less time, and more results. Using Indeed Sponsored Jobs and listeners of this show. Get a $75 sponsored job credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves. And at indeed.comlocknfl just go to indeed.comlockdown NFL right now and support the show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Hiring do it the Right Way with Indeed. This episode is brought to you by Quo New Year New Systems. This is the time when a lot of us look at the messier parts of how we run our businesses and think there's got to be a better way. And there is. Streamlining your communications is one of the quickest upgrades that you can make. And that's why today's episode is brought to you by Quo spelled Q U O the smarter way to run your business communications. Because when your team is reachable, organized and communicating in one place. You're not just working cleaner, you're creating more opportunities to connect with customers. Everyone can see a full conversation thread, which makes seeing replies faster and more personal. It works right from your phone or your computer and you can even keep your existing number. So it's no surprise Quo is the number one rated business phone system on G2, trusted by more than 90,000 businesses from solo operators to growing teams. Make this the year where no opportunity is and no customer slips away. Try quo for free plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to quote.com lot NFL that's quo.com lot NFL quo no missed calls, no miss customers welcome back to the Lock on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. Let's talk about Tyler Guyton because we saw some big strides of improvement from Tyler Guyton. But I do wonder what the long term outlook for the Cowboys tackles are here because Guyton has not been able to stay healthy. You've got Terence Steele, who's got a big cap number, who I think his play has really regressed over the last couple years. I thought he was better this year overall, but has regressed. You've got Nate Thomas, who had an up and down sophomore season. I think Tyler Guyton's the key one here. What do you think the Cowboys think of Tyler Guyton going into year three?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean you have to be concerned about the injury situation, although I do think that this year's injury situation was more fluky and especially considering like all the extra preparation he put into reshaping his body. And, and look, we hear that kind of talk a lot. Tyler Guyton reshaped his body and, and really worked hard this off season on getting more flexible. And you saw that result in, in a change in his body and a change in his ability to be flexible, to get lower in his stance and just and he played better. He that's why you saw, I think part of the reason you saw a better football player, a more capable football player, to get out on the edge, especially on versus quick rushers and, and to be effective. So he wasn't perfect. Absolutely. He's still a young player. But I do think that what I saw from him this year when he was healthy was encouraging to the point where I'm like, that is our left tackle. Like I think we have the guy. The question is can we, can we keep him on the field? Right. Like and I think that that's those are legitimate questions because again, I do think that the injuries last year were more fluky. It was a high ankle, if I'm not mistaken. It was an ankle both times, wasn't it?

[Marcus Mosher]

Well, it was like a bone bruise, which, which we thought was a knee sprain or so we thought was a torn acl. Right.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah.

[Marcus Mosher]

Then it was a bone bruise, then it was a high ankle, then it was a concussion. I believe at one point there was a shoulder injury, you know, mixed in there. It was just a lot of random things.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. And, and, and it's, you know, it's, it's not like a, a series of lower bodies that are all chained together. You know, I mean, there are concerning situations that you can look at and identify, you know, how they're connected. This one seems more random. So I, I am again encouraged enough by what I've seen when he's been healthy to feel like we've gotta, we've, we, we can move forward with this situation. However I do, it's, it's just like these other two positions. I don't brush it away and saying that you don't have a need here. I, I do think that you need to figure out a solution for a long term backup that you feel comfortable with or at least somebody that you can put in there. I think Nate Thomas has done that at times, but I think as the season wore on, you saw kind of diminishing returns there. So I think that's the question you have. And honestly, at this point, you could put Nate's name on here as well. Right. Because I, I think it's, it's kind of like, where do these two guys fall on the spectrum? And, and, and then you're going to have a whole different separate kind of conversation, obviously on the other side with Terrence Steele.

[Marcus Mosher]

But I think, and that's why I think you and I have kind of been looking at that cap number for Terence Steel. The Cowboys can get out of that deal very easily, but the more I look at it, it's like, is it worth the cap savings? Right. Like, it's a big number. It's a lot of cap savings. But you're also opening up another spot that needs to be filled either through the draft or free agency. And what's the phrase you'd rather have the devil that, that you know than the one that you don't. Right. If you, if you cut Terence Steel and you sign a veteran tackle that's probably around the same cost and around the same caliber player, there's going to be some unknowns there as well. And I'm just wondering because of Terence, excuse me, because of Tyler Guyton's injury history, if they don't just try to roll with Terence Steele one more year at right tackle, keep Nate Thomas and just see what they can do and then maybe dress it next year if you need to.

[Landon McCool]

Look, I think the way you can justify it is by going to Terence Steele and working something out right, like maybe we put some void years onto your contract or fight or resign you to a small deal where we, you know, give you a couple a little bit more guaranteed money. I do think that beyond just like riding it out, I think another year with Clayton Adams and Connor Riley as well, which where I do feel like he did play better football last year, I think he fits this system really well. So I do think I would prefer at this point because of the other needs at other places to roll with Terence Steele and maybe Nate Thomas plus a veteran, maybe Nate Thomas plus a draft pick or something like that and see what you've got maybe in Cornelius coming up too. So I think you have options here. But I still feel like to a lesser degree something does happen, have to happen to the position.

[Marcus Mosher]

And no interest in moving Tyler Smith out to left tackle and moving Guyton.

[Landon McCool]

To right tackle, not by Tyler Smith.

[Marcus Mosher]

That's all that probably really matters here.

[Landon McCool]

Right?

[Marcus Mosher]

So I agree, but I. We'll see. I'm very curious to see what happens at the tackle position for the Cowboys this off season because that's going to tell us a lot about the future of this offensive line. That is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making Locked on Cowboys your first listen of the day. If you never miss an episode, the Everyday club is built for you. Get locked on Cowboys ad free members only, discord access and so much more. Head over to Loton Cowboys.com lawtoncowboys.supercast.com Make sure I get that right to join the club. And for those of you on video, we can send you the first ever 24.7national NBA YouTube channel and on audio, make your second listen the lockdown NFL podcast. Follow Landon on Twitter @mccoolbcb. I'm @Marcus Underscore Moser and we'll see you right back here tomorrow.

[Ross Jackson]

What's up everybody? This is Ross Jackson, one of the hosts of the Locked On Podcast network. And if you haven't heard yet, we started a club and we would love for you to to join. It's called the Everydayer club and one of the things that you get as a member is an ad free version of the podcast that you're listening to right now. It works with whatever podcast app you already use, same episodes every day, just no ads. There's also a members only group chat for fans of your team, plus a lot more. You can check it out by tapping the Everydayer Club link in the show notes.