A common critique of the Dallas Cowboys’ recent roster building philosophy is that they over-invested in the interior offensive line. With new addition Tyler Booker in place as the expected starting right guard, the Cowboys now have used premium draft picks at all three interior positions. It makes them potentially dominant inside, which could result in some extremely valuable returns.
Dominance in any area of the game can be an extremely valuable asset for a team, even if it’s in an area as unflashy as the interior offensive line. Looking at the Cowboys’ short yardage conversion in particular, a dominant offensive interior could prove quite the valuable asset in no time this season.
In 2024 the Cowboys had 20, 3rd-and-1 rushing plays and six 4th-and-1 ones, converting 80% of the former while the latter they converted 66.7%. Neither number is particularly poor, but neither would be considered dominant either.
Converting more short yardage plays can make all the difference. At a minimum, conversions extend drives and bleed clock, at best they can directly add points on the scoreboard. It could be what Dallas needs to take their offense over the top in 2025.
The Cowboys recently revamped their running back room in order to support a shift in running philosophy. Under Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys ran a diverse running scheme out of spread personnel. First-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer is expected to shift to more inside-zone schemes with condensed formations.
Stout ball carriers such as Javonte Williams (5-foot-10, 220-pounds), Hunter Luepke (6-foot-1, 238-pounds), and Phil Mafah (6-foot-1, 230-pounds), could all be short yardage options for Dallas this season. Running behind a highly pedigreed and physically dominant trio of Tyler Smith, Cooper Beebe and Booker, the Cowboys could be an unstoppable force in short-yardage situations.
All the pieces have to fit, and each player has to perform up to expectations, but the stars might just be aligning for Dallas to be an unstoppable force in their offensive interior.
Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys may have built group that directly fixes area they’ve fallen short in before
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
