The Dallas Cowboys arguably have the offensive line of the next generation, and with the retirement of Zack Martin, first-round draft pick Tyler Booker has become the unofficial next man up to take Martin's spot. Of course, those are tough shoes to fill, but Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said that someone like Booker only comes around once every so often.
Tyler Guyton's mammoth size is enough alone to fit the billing as the next blind side star, but his rookie mistakes didn't go unnoticed, and they were enough to ask if he could become trade bait sooner rather than later.
Terence Steele, now 28 years old, has had to deal with critiques at the offensive line position, partially due to Guyton's rookie mistakes. He's now the undisputed veteran of the group, and it's time to see him blossom into a captain in the locker room.
Terence Steele is suddenly the de facto leader of Cowboys' offensive line
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At only 28, it's weird to say that Steele has become one of the veterans of the team. He came from Texas Tech as an undrafted player and quickly became a centerpiece for the offensive line in his rookie year, playing in all 16 games while starting 14 of them.
Since his rookie season, Steele has become one of the more consistent offensive linemen in the league just by showing up. His [Pro Football Focus](https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/terence-steele/39461) grade indicates that he still has room for improvement in pass blocking, as PFF assigned him a middling 57.5 mark in pass protection last season.
The sixth-year pro fared much better in run-blocking with a 78.9 grade that ranked 13th out of 140 qualified tackles, per PFF. He also played every single snap last season and has started every possible game since he tore his ACL in 2022.
As Guyton looks to bounce back after a lackluster rookie campaign, he's already in the lab, working with [Cowboys legend Tyron Smith](https://thelandryhat.com/cowboys-tyler-guyton-quietly-learning-from-franchise-legend-tyron-smith). Smith started in the league as a 20-year-old rookie, and the former Cowboy can offer Guyton a few pointers on how to prepare mentally.
For Steele, he's quietly taking on the role as the boss of the OL group, and he'll be the voice of his position group. It's up to Steele to get Guyton's mind right.
Steele might never get back to his pre-ACL form, but his durability and continuity are invaluable to an offensive line that has welcomed three new faces in the last two years.