Cowboys OTAs Spotlight: Will Tyler Guyton, Cooper Beebe face more resistance than expected?

The Dallas Cowboys kick off OTAs on Tuesday, May 21, and as we look at the most intriguing storylines of this stage of the offseason, offensive line is the position that keeps coming to mind.

There are just so many questions about the unit that remained unanswered, from what the starting lineup will look like in Day 1 to what are the specific roles some of the depth players will have.

That's why we're diving in into several questions about the OL that might begin to get answered with OTAs kicking off. 

Are all first-team reps for Tyler Guyton and who's working LT behind him? 

Obviously, Guyton is the projected starting left tackle after the Cowboys comfortably parted ways with Tyron Smith and used a first-round draft pick in a developmental lineman.

But will he be handed the first-team reps right away or will the Cowboys make him work for it? Mostly, what I'm interested in monitoring is who else is getting left tackle snaps. It would make perfect sense for Tyler Smith to focus solely on playing guard, so removing him from the discussion, who is the No. 2 guy behind Guyton?

Could it be the second-year Asim Richards? Matt Waletzko, who they have seemingly liked for a good while now? Or will veteran Chuma Edoga and Josh Ball stay in the mix for the job? Also, don't rule out a second-year player who was signed in UDFA last year (more on that later). 

Battle for starting center: Does Brock Hoffman get the nod over Cooper Beebe? 

It's become clear that Cooper Beebe is Plan A and Plan B for the Cowboys ahead of the 2024 NFL season. But leading up to the draft, Stephen Jones claimed Brock Hoffman wasn't messing around after holding his own as a rookie when called upon. 

Does that statement hold up once practices start? Is it the Cooper Beebe show? It would make sense to give him all the reps you possibly can in an effort to speed up his development but football is a meritocracy and I want to see if Hoffman can throw a wrench into the rookie's plans. 

Does Earl Bostick Jr. have a chance for the 53-man roster? 

Bostick Jr. remains one of the players that intrigues me the most in this offseason. He was one of the highest-paid undrafted free agents last year but he didn't make the 53-man roster. As a rookie, he was expected to struggle due to strength but the athleticism and arm length is there to make it work. 

Could he be a roster surprise by the time the season kicks off? If so, he'll have to start fast in OTAs and catch the eyes of his coaching staff. He'll face an uphill battle as the depth at tackle is solid enough to keep him in the backend of it. 

What is Chuma Edoga's role in 2024? 

Edoga was brought in to provide tackle/guard depth in 2023 and while he was mostly decent on the inside, there were some glaring issues when tasked with Dak Prescott's blindside, which included miscommunications at the line that allowed free rushers to get to the Cowboys QB (See the Miami Dolphins game).

Will Edoga stay at guard exclusively this time around as a result? Or will he get another shot at tackle competing against some of the younger guys on the team? I don't view Edoga as a lock for the 53-man roster and for that to change he'll need a role. What are the Cowboys thinking when it comes to him? We'll find out.