The Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season is underway with the start of OTAs. It’s the first opportunity for the coaching staff to get a look at the entire roster on the field together. Reasonable expectations say that Dallas should contend for a playoff spot, but questions still linger in the trenches and secondary areas that must improve if the team is going to return to the postseason.
Aug 12, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer watch a play in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at AT&T Stadium.
Three Cowboys Players With The Most On The Line
Donovan Wilson
The Cowboys enter OTAs with real questions in the secondary. Donovan Wilson has built a reputation as a physical tone-setter at the safety position. He brings energy, toughness, and a downhill presence. For a defense accused of the worst thing you could accuse a defense of—capital ‘S’ Soft—Donovan Wilson stood out as anything but.
However, his role in 2025 could be in question.
Coverage has never been Wilson’s strength, but his struggles last season were more glaring. PFF gave him a coverage grade of 56.6 in 2024—112 out of 171 players—and it looked even worse on TV. His limitations in coverage are more evident in a league that punishes safeties who can’t hold up against pass-catchers in space. Now, with younger players like Juanyeh Thomas and Markquese Bell pushing for more time, Wilson could become a post-June 1 cut if he doesn’t make a strong impression. If he does make the roster, he’ll have to show coverage improvement if he wants to stay on the field.
He’s still a valuable player in the right role, but new DC Matt Eberflus’ scheme demands versatility and coverage skills from safeties, and that’s simply not Wilson’s strong suit.
Mazi Smith
Mazi Smith was drafted in the first round in 2023 to help fix a persistent weakness—defending the run. Two seasons in, the run defense is still bad, and Smith has yet to justify his draft position.
Coaching turnover hasn’t done Smith any favors, but fair or not, it’s gut-check time. In 2024, Smith posted a run defense grade of 35.9 and an overall grade of 34.8, ranking 201st and 207th out of 219 qualifying defensive linemen. No matter how you slice it, that’s bad. He has failed to consistently anchor the point of attack, and it’s shown—it’s glaring to watch as he gets consistently washed out on run plays. He wasn’t just ineffective, he was often invisible.
Since last season ended, Dallas has overhauled its defensive line room. There are currently 14 defensive linemen on the roster, and nearly 70% of those are new additions. That influx of competition makes it clear: Smith’s position is far from secure. Entering year three, he must show dramatic improvement if he wants any shot at earning a second contract with the Cowboys.
Tyler Guyton
When the Cowboys used last year’s first-round pick on Tyler Guyton, they believed they were drafting Tyron Smith’s successor. After some promising moments in camp and during the preseason, he got the nod as the starting left tackle for 2024. It didn’t go well.
His 60.2 pass blocking grade ranked 81st out of 140 qualified tackles, and that feels generous. Despite finishing in only the 40th percentile for snaps played, he committed 18 penalties and allowed six sacks, ranking 139th and 120th out of 140 tackles, respectively. Despite these numbers, Dallas let his only competition walk and hasn’t brought in a veteran to push him. That’s a big gamble, and it needs to pay off fast.
Guyton’s upside is obvious: He’s big, long, and athletic. But he’s also raw and playing largely out of position. In his final year at Oklahoma, he only started nine games, and those came at right tackle. In year one with Dallas, he struggled with power and technique, and he often looked overwhelmed against top-tier edge rushers. If he doesn’t improve, everything Dallas has done to upgrade the offense could come undone. If he’s not the answer at left tackle, what happens next? He could move to right tackle and take over for Terence Steele, but there will still be a glaring need on Prescott’s blindside.
This offense can’t function if the left tackle position is a weekly liability. The Cowboys didn’t draft Guyton to compete—they need him to be the answer. If he’s not, it could unravel the season before it gets off the ground.
Stand and Deliver
Dallas Cowboys OTAs in 2025 will produce some depth chart battles. They didn’t make any splash moves in free agency, and the success of the team will depend largely on who is already in the building. If Donovan Wilson can’t adapt, he might not stick. If Smith doesn’t improve, the run defense will again be a liability. And if Tyler Guyton fails to hold up, the entire offensive operation could crash and burn. For Dallas to return to the playoffs, these three players have to deliver.
Main Photo: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images