When Mike McCarthy took to the podium and was introduced as the new Cowboys head coach, he did so with the expectation that he’d inherit an elite offensive line. Travis Frederick had just made a triumphant return from Guillain-Barré syndrome, La’el Collins had taken the next step from good right tackle to elite level, and there were the two future Hall of Famers in Tyron Smith and Zack Martin.
Then life happened. Frederick retired a couple months later. Collins started the year on the injured reserve and never made it back. Smith only appeared in two games through the first four weeks before being shut down for the season.