The Dallas Cowboys struggled on offense in 2024, even before Dak Prescott suffered a hamstring tear in Week 9. While it’s easy to say his absence was their primary issue, the fact was that their poor run play put too much pressure on the passing game.

Throw in the fact that CeeDee Lamb was the only receiver defenses feared, and it was a recipe for disaster. That’s why Dallas overhauled the ground game and traded for George Pickens this offseason

Their moves, coupled with Prescott’s return to health, have The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen naming the Cowboys one of six teams poised for a breakout in 2025. While he thinks they could be much closer to the 2023 team, which was one of the top offenses in the NFL, he admits that one player is the key to it all working.

“The skeleton key for the Cowboys’ offense is the development of left tackle Tyler Guyton, last year’s first-round draft pick. Guyton was relatively new to playing offensive line, having converted from defense in college, but he’s a physical freak who understandably had a rough rookie season. If he lives up to his vast potential, the Cowboys will have a dominant left side with Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith.” — Nguyen

He adds that the addition of Tyler Booker in the 2025 NFL draft is another positive, saying the offensive line could be a major strength for them — if Guyton improves. If he doesn’t, it could be a nightmare scenario for this offense.