When the Cowboys play their first game coming off the bye, they could have a new right tackle in place. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer opened the door to a midseason change at that position. 
Schottenheimer said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) an open competition will be held at right tackle. Such scenarios are of course commonplace during training camp, but when they emerge in the middle of a season they are more noteworthy. In this particular case, a high-profile benching is being considered.
Terence Steele has operated as Dallas’ top right tackle for much of six-year Dallas tenure. The former UDFA has made 83 starts and counting, and in September 2023 he landed a long-term commitment from the Cowboys. Team and player agreed to a five-year, $82.5MM extension, a pact which has Steele on the books through 2028.
The 28-year-old has not met expectations since signing that deal, however. Pass blocking in particular has been an issue throughout Steele’s career, and in 2025 his PFF grade in that department sits at 56.4. That is the third-worst figure of his NFL tenure, and it has no doubt played a role in Cowboys’ decision to contemplate a switch. 2024 seventh-rounder Nathan Thomas is the likeliest candidate to take on first-team duties in the event Steele is benched.
A move along those lines would lead to a largely unproven figure taking on a major role up front. Thomas did not see the field as a rookie and he has logged just 96 offensive snaps in 2025. The Cowboys could stand to benefit from improved play along the O-line as they look to make a playoff push down the stretch, though.
In the bigger picture, of course, moving Steele to the bench would lead to questions about a parting of ways during the offseason. The Texas Tech product is not owed any guaranteed salary beyond 2025, and a post-June 1 release in particular would yield notable cap savings this coming spring. It will be interesting to see if such a move receives consideration by means of a right tackle change or if Steele remains atop the depth chart and plays his way into a continued Dallas stay.
Sucks it took this long for them to realize Terrance Steele sucks, but it’s progress I guess.
These UDFA and late round tackles are always burning out, when will teams realize you gotta make an investment for your offense in the trenches.
Just replacing an overpaid UDFA with an inexperienced 7th rounder is just turning a wheel.
Playoff push? What is their record – mathematically i guess it possible but come on do they realistically think they are getting in? 3-5-1 with 2-4-1 in conference play, as it stands now they need to jump Carolina, Minnesota, and with San Fran holding 2.5 games on them and 6-2 conference record. It should be the competition is to give the young guy a chance and see what he can do for next year.
What about left tackle?
The Cowboys are nearly the biggest s–t show in the division but yet we are forced to watch them on MNF this week and as the featured game of the week every Sunday at 4 ET no matter how bad they are.
Yeah, NY and Washington are SO much better … Oh wait, they aren’t.