The battle for the Cowboys' starting left tackle spot is 'starting to heat up' as the training camp approaches, with Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas competing with each other for the position. The Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott, has already weighed in on the battle. 

While Jon Machota of The Athletic believes that Guyton is the ‘clear favorite’ for the job, Prescott considers the competition could bring out the 'best versions' of both players, as they are pushing to prove themselves for the starter position at LT.

 “Those are two guys that both can play, and both are huge to this team,” Prescott said, per Machota of the Athletic. “Whether it’s battling out now to be the starter, those are both guys we’re going to need. Both guys are going to have to play at some point or another."

First-round pick Tyler Guyton and seventh-round pick Nate Thomas of the same 2024 draft class will battle for the starting role at LT. Guyton appeared in 25 games over two seasons, and Thomas played 17 games last year.

"They’re pushing," Prescott said, per Machota of The Athletic. "They’re doing a h*** of a job. I love both of those guys and the way they approach the game, just watching Tyler get better, watching Nate get better. They’re going to push each other.”

Guyton had started 11 games in 2024, but missed the final two games of the season and 2025 training camp due to knee and shoulder injuries.

He started 10 games last year, but was sidelined because of a season-ending ankle injury. Thomas was placed on injured reserve for his entire rookie season in 2024 due to knee tendonitis, making his availability doubtful as well.

"Tyler's biggest thing is the consistency has not been there," head coach Brian Schottenheimer said, per Tommy Yarrish of DallasCowboys.com on June 4. "Very talented, maybe one of the most athletic big men I've ever been around with his ability to kick slide, punch, move, run."

While the Cowboys remain confident in Guyton's upside, his ability to stay healthy and perform consistently could ultimately determine his position in the left tackle depth chart.

Beyond the competition itself, the Cowboys also have contingency plans if injuries become a factor again.

Cowboys Have Depth Behind Left Tackle Competition

Brian Martin of Blogging The Boys believes that if either Guyton or Thomas fails to remain healthy during the season, the Cowboys have other alternatives, like guard Tyler Smith and rookie Drew Shelton.

"With Guyton and Thompson getting the first shot to earn the left tackle job and with Smith and Shelton as fallback options, the hope is somebody emerges to lock down the position," Martin wrote.

Smith filled in at left tackle for the final three games of the 2025 season when Guyton was unavailable.

Though he and the Cowboys are not willing to move him from the guard position, Smith has the versatility to fill in at the tackle position during Guyton's unavailability.

As training camp approaches, Prescott believes the competition between Guyton and Thomas will bring out the best in both players as they battle for the starting left tackle job.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Rudra Dubey