The Cowboys and Giants (Un)Lucky Seven
Offensive line has been a giant problem for one team and a shining star for another.
When the Dallas Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, it was met with uncertainty and criticism. He was a young, raw prospect coming out of Tulsa with habitual holding penalties. Smith was the first offensive lineman the Cowboys’ front office would be drafting in the first round since Zack Martin, so the expectations for him would be high.
Since that night, T-Sizz (the nickname given to him by his peers) has overcome every negative thought or quote set out for him on draft night, resulting in a new four-year contract extension worth $96 million and a MASSIVE guaranteed $81 million. The Cowboys do not miss when it comes to the offensive line position.
The New York Giants, on the other hand…
Since 2011, the Cowboys and the Giants, like most successful teams, have invested significant draft capital into their offensive lines. During this stretch, both teams selected seven players in the first or second rounds. Both have drafted linemen in other rounds, but for this exercise, we’re just focusing on the first two, which are supposed to bring Pro Bowl players or at least plus-level starters.
Here are the players Dallas and New York have selected since 2011.
Out of the seven names above for the Giants, only one (Andrew Thomas) has been named to an All-Pro team, and none have made it to the Pro Bowl.
Conversely, the Cowboys have had 18 All-Pro nominations for the group and 24 Pro Bowl appearances combined for their seven players. Connor Williams might have been the Giants’ best offensive lineman next to Thomas if he were drafted by New York. Instead, he is probably near the bottom of the list for Dallas because the players above him are future Hall of Fame players.
Even when the Giants try to attack their offensive line woes in other ways, like through free agency, they still end up with the same issues. Nate Solder was given a record-setting $62 million contract in 2018 to play for Big Blue. He played three seasons for the Giants (opting out of 2020 due to the pandemic) and retired from the NFL in 2022. He never became the player New York was hoping for when they signed him.
Williams may be the only one who some could consider a bust in Dallas, who puts a chip in their armor, to what has been a stellar track record of drafting o-linemen high. Williams started 51 games with the Cowboys over four years. If that’s considered a “failure,” sign me up for that every time when it comes to a second-round pick.
The story has yet to be written about Tyler Guyton and Tyler Booker. Both are trending in the right direction after Guyton struggled in year one with Dallas, and Booker is still finding his footing as a rookie. Either way, the Giants would love to have both of them on their team if they could, given the current state of their offensive line.
When fans criticize the Cowboys for drafting too many offensive linemen early in the draft, look across the field at the Giants’ sideline and realize how bad it could have been or could be when a team doesn’t know how to evaluate such a critical position.
Building in the trenches can lead to regular-season success and, hopefully, a championship. Dallas has proven to be one of the best; now, they must show that all their efforts can help them reach a Super Bowl.