The Dallas Cowboys’ offense wasn’t very pretty in 2024. After three consecutive seasons ranking inside the NFL’s top 10, the walls came crashing down and the unit slumped to the middle of the pack. Some of that can be attributed to quarterback Dak Prescott’s injury, but that wasn’t all that ailed the team which struggled to consistently move the ball during the first half of the season when he was available.
To get back to the top, Brian Schottenheimer and Klayton Adams arrived to replace Mike McCarthy. Along with a new scheme will come a youth movement for the offense, especially on the offensive line. The Cowboys weren’t exactly old on offense, but the offseason has been reset with younger options.
A few of the older pieces no longer with the org include running back Ezekiel Elliott, wide receiver Brandin Cooks, and right guard Zack Martin, who were respectively 29, 31 and 34 years old. The Cowboys also moved on from 27-year old swing OL Chuma Edoga.
As replacements, the Cowboys drafted guard OG Tyler Booker and RB Jaydon Blue, both of whom are just 21-years old, and traded for WR George Pickens, who is only 24 but with three years of experience underneath his belt.
If the goal was to get younger, faster, and more athletic, the Cowboys were undoubtedly successful.
It’s a young offense, but it’s guided by one of the best leaders in the league in Prescott. The elder statesman for the offense is 32-years old and entering his 10th season, he’s the ideal QB to lead the group.
Despite their youth, the core doesn’t lack experience. All-Pro WR CeeDee Lamb just turned 26, has four straight 1,000-yard seasons and is in his prime, as is his new running mate Pickens and starting tight end Jake Ferguson.
Complementary pieces at WR include Jalen Tolbert, who is 26, and KaVontae Turpin, who will be 29-years old when the season begins, which feels ancient. However, Turpin is coming off a career year and has gotten better each season.
At RB Javonte Williams turned 25 in April and has four years under his belt. The veteran runner can help guide rookie fifth-round pick, Blue, who will be 21-years old this season. Blue’s speed and explosiveness should add an element to the offense that has been missing since Tony Pollard was making big plays while splitting carries with Elliott. Blue has even more juice and comes in with fresh legs after sharing a backfield at Texas.
As young and in their prime as most of the weapons are on Dallas’ offense, it’s the offensive line that has the most youth.
Three members of the OL are just 24-years old, and the rookie Booker comes in at 21. Terence Steele is the oldest starter after turning 28 in early June, giving the Cowboys an average age of just over 24, the youngest OL group in the NFL. Even their key backups are all under 26-years old, Brock Hoffman and Robert Jones will share that honor when the 2025 campaign begins.
They’ll need to grow up quick and help pave the way for a comeback season for a new offense. With three members of the offensive line having one season or less of experience, there’s going to be some bumps in the road, but their youth should serve them well.
Left tackle Tyler Guyton needs to pick his game up after a rough rookie year, something he’s working towards. It helps that Guyton has spoken about having better nutrition in year 2, and he’s getting special attention from former Cowboys All-Pro Tyron Smith to facilitate his improvement.
To help the young group come together, the organization hired one of the top offensive line coaches in college football to guide the way. Conor Riley arrives with the Cowboys to turn their potential into another one of the great walls for the storied franchise. Riley will have the talent to build around, and it’s an offensive line that’s reminiscent of the mid-2010s group led by Smith, Martin, center Travis Frederick, and RT La’el Collins. Smith, Frederick and Martin were All-Pro players, and Collins was Pro-Bowl caliber to round out an outstanding OL.
The Cowboys have remade their offense this offseason; they added talent and speed, while continuing to build the offensive line. Youth will be served, and if the OL can play up to their potential, the Cowboys’ offense will be back near the top of the league.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys youth movement on offense may cause bumps, but was much needed change in direction
Reporting by Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
