Dallas Cowboys 2026 training camp position battle to watch
· Yahoo Sports
NFL teams have wrapped up their respective organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps, and after a near month-long break, they’ll pick things back up near the end of July for training camp.
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The first preseason game takes place on Thursday, Aug. 6 on NBC when the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals face off in the Hall of Fame Game. The rest of the preseason’s first week will take place from Aug. 13-15, followed by Week 2 on Aug. 20-23, and Week 3 on Aug. 27-29.
But before the preseason gets underway, teams must first report to training camp. The Dallas Cowboys haven’t announced the exact date they report to camp, but below is their biggest position battle to watch this summer.
Position Battle: Left tackle | Tyler Guyton vs. Nate Thomas
Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys leads the huddle during the NFL 2025 game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 12, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kara Durrette/Getty Images)The Cowboys ran through three left tackles last season. All three had their moments, but all three also struggled at times as well.
Most believe the job is Guyton’s to lose. The 25-year-old former first-round pick started 21 games at left tackle for over the last two years, and he was drafted to be the team’s starting LT for the next decade. But as head coach Brian Schottenheimer recently said, the job won’t just be handed to him.
“We’re going to make Tyler earn it,” Schottenheimer told reporters. “We think that’s going to get the best out of Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas.”
Guyton logged the most snaps of any LT last year (648), and he allowed two sacks, 31 pressures, 23 hurries, and six QB hits, per Pro Football Focus. He surrendered the most pressures and hurries of any of the team’s LTs. He’s also had his share of issues with taking penalties and inconsistent play, which allowed Thomas to creep into the mix last year.
The 24-year-old Thomas started four games at left tackle, playing 317 snaps and allowing three sacks, 23 pressures, 16 hurries, and four QB hits. He’s athletic, versatile, and he isn’t the liability Guyton is with drawing flags. Thomas and Guyton’s run-blocking ability are pretty equal, and while Guyton is the better pass-blocker right now, some around the Cowboys believe Thomas could pass him in that area if he continues to develop.
“[Thomas] pushed both Steele and Guyton at times last season, and with another year of development and a healthy offseason, there’s a real chance Thomas could be battling for a starting job once again,” Cowboys team reporter Nick Eatman wrote.
“At the very least, he appears to have the inside track to be the game-day swing tackle. … The Cowboys continue to develop Thomas, and there’s a legitimate chance he could eventually become one of their starting tackles—on either side.”
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