Predicting Dallas Cowboys 2020 depth chart: Offensive line
By Randy Gurzi
Dallas Cowboys Starting Tackles
Entering the 2020 NFL season, there will be no change to the Dallas Cowboys starting left tackles — which remains one of the best duos in the league.
Tyron Smith
Dallas shifted their philosophy in 2011 when Jason Garrett became the full-time head coach. While he was called a puppet for owner Jerry Jones, Garrett actually convinced Jones to change the way he drafts. After never using a first-round pick on an offensive lineman in his 20-plus years as the owner, Jones and the Cowboys took Tyron Smith ninth overall out of USC.
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This wasn’t a one-time thing either as Garrett’s belief that the team needed to build from the line out held true throughout his tenure. Dallas ended up using two more first-round picks on offensive linemen in the coming years, but Smith was the one that really got the ball rolling.
He enters 2020 with nine years of starting under his belt but what’s really crazy is he’s still just 29 years old. Smith will turn 30, but for a tackle, this means he could still have many more quality seasons left in the tank.
La’el Collins
As good as Tyron Smith has been on the left side, La’el Collins was even better for Dallas on the right side in 2019. Collins entered the NFL as one of the best offensive line prospects in 2015 but went undrafted when he was questioned in a double homicide. It was apparent quickly that he was not a suspect and the Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent.
Collins began his career at left guard but really took off when he got comfortable at right tackle — a spot he moved to in 2017. After a season of learning the position, he was really good in 2018 and 2019 he was simply fantastic. What’s even better is Collins, who is just 26-years of age, is still just entering his prime.