The Dallas Cowboys walked into Week 1 knowing they had to face Myles Garrett and the rest of the daunting Cleveland Browns defensive line — a well-respected group that was at the top of the league in 2023. Meanwhile, Dallas was doing it with two rookies making their first NFL starts.
Nerves and mishaps were to be expected, but ultimately, the young big fellas held up. Their encouraging performance was good enough to instill confidence going forward and draw praise from their quarterback, Dak Prescott.
Dak Prescott Has High-Praise for Cowboys’ Rookie Offensive Linemen
With rookies Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe making their first starts at left tackle and center, respectively, it marked only the second time since the NFL merger that Dallas trotted out two rookies on its offensive line. Tyron Smith and Bill Nagy last did so in 2011, so the two rookies had a big opportunity on Sunday.
The challenge was met head-on, and both Guyton and Beebe impressed in their first NFL action. Guyton finished the game allowing only four pressures and one sack and went pressureless on nine of his 13 pass-rush reps on the day. What’s even more impressive is much of that work was against Garrett, the perennial All-Pro.
As for Beebe, his day may have been even more impressive than Guyton’s. The third-round rookie out of Kansas State was lights out in his first-ever start at the center position. Beebe finished the game giving up zero sacks and zero pressures in 34 pass reps and looked to be rock solid in the run game as well.
Nice rep by Cooper Beebe here. Dalvin Tomlinson crosses his face, and Beebe gets on it to shelve Tomlinson out of Dak Prescott's vision. pic.twitter.com/2WkWlN8D1T
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) September 9, 2024
The pair’s performance and preparation leading up to the moment caught Prescott’s eye, and when given a chance to talk about them following the big Week 1 win, the veteran QB spoke glowingly.
“I love those two kids. Two guys. I don’t want to call them kids. Two men,” Prescott started. “And that’s what they’re becoming each and every day, growing up more and more.
“One, the responsibility. Beebe is built for this. Built for running an offensive line, setting the tempo there. He understands what I expect in the huddle, how we want to break the huddle, and put pressure on the defense.
“And then Tyler Guyton, a guy that just loves football. He loves his teammates. He doesn’t want to let anyone down. There were times in the game where maybe a guy got around him — Myles Garrett, one of the best in the game — getting around him, and he’s kinda whispering to me, ‘My fault.’ I’m like, ‘Move on. Move on.’
“And he does. Wiped the slate clean, moved on, and fought hard tonight. Two guys I’m super, super proud of. It’s only the beginning for them. I’m looking forward to many, many games with them.”
From first-game action to a shot of confidence from the highest-paid player in NFL history, it’s surely been a whirlwind week for the two rookies. However, what’s clear and can’t be overstated is that both look like they belong, with a bright future ahead of them.
Future Looks Promising for Cowboys Offensive Line
Over the last decade and a half, the Cowboys have built a reputation for having one of the best offensive line groups in the NFL. Days of having Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, and Zack Martin holding down the front line, Dallas has been consistent in its pursuit of fortifying the line of scrimmage.
Fast forward to the current day, and some of the names are different, but the feeling around the group is similar.
It may not be viewed as dominant of a group as it once was, but with All-Pros Smith and Martin anchoring the position and the newcomers making a great first impression, the future continues to look bright.
Dallas has continuously invested in the offensive line — using first-round picks on three of their current starting five — while continuing to show they know how to develop and get the most out of the position throughout the draft process.
Of the nine offensive linemen currently on Dallas’ roster, only backup center Brock Hoffman was brought in from the outside. The other eight were all draft picks or undrafted free agents made by the team.
It’s important to the Cowboys to draft and develop, and when it comes to offensive linemen, there may be very few teams in the NFL that do it better.
Now with Guyton and Beebe off and running, plus the noise, excitement, and chatter centered around them that started back in July during training camp that is deafening, the hope for the future on the Cowboys’ OL looks secured once again.