Cowboys Rumor: Sign All-Pro Andrew Norwell to Start at Guard?

While the running back room of the Dallas Cowboys gains all the attention, an offensive lineman waits in the wings.

The Dallas Cowboys have been rumored alongside names like James Robinson, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook and even Stefon Diggs. But maybe this stuff amounts to smoke-and-mirrors movement that overshadows the need to nab an offensive lineman.

Fansided released an article on Monday that pairs the Cowboys with veteran lineman Andrew Norwell, most recently of the Washington Commanders, to bring experience upfront.

"Once upon a time, Norwell's five-year, $68.5 million contract with the Jaguars set the floor for Zack Martin's eventual extension with the Cowboys in 2018. Clearly the superior player, Martin inked a six-year, $84 million deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid guard at the time," the piece notes.

And it's true... Norwell was once considered one of the best interior linemen in the NFL, even earning All-Pro honors in 2017. The 31-year-old also has some gas left in the tank, it can be argued, despite some flailing in Washington.

"It stands to reason that a move to a more functional organization -- one where winning is the ultimate goal -- would benefit Norwell, who was the No. 2-ranked guard in run block grade on gap runs in 2022, per PFF's Marcus Mosher," Fansided continued.

As it sits, maybe a move for an offensive lineman behooves a Cowboys unit that is dealing with an injury rehab up front with Terence Steele. Dallas is looking at shuffling people around. But what if a solid starter - Norwell - simply plugs in at his usual spot?

Norwell would also be a very cheap option. Set to earn $4.42 million from the Commanders in 2023, Dallas could punch far below that number and win a lineman who has started 127 career games - all of this assuming, of course, that personnel boss Will McClay and his staff agree with that "something left in the tank'' take.

With the O-line working its way toward a "Best 5'' and the team's cap space in a healthy spot, maybe we should look deeper than just the star receivers and running backs when we make our free agent wishlist as this offseason marches on.

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