Solid NFL offensive linemen usually don’t emerge from the ranks of undrafted free agents. Terence Steele is one of the exceptions.
Steele, undrafted in 2020, has become a key piece of the Dallas offensive line. And the Cowboys have taken care of him with, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, a five-year, $86.8 million contract extension. The contract includes $50 million in total guarantees, and $5 million in potential upside.
Factoring in the $4.304 million Steele was due to earn in 2023, it’s a six-year, $91.1 million contract. It has an average new-money value of $17.36 million, and an average from signing of $15.18 million per year.
The deal comes at a time when the Cowboys have two major contract issues looming. One comes from Dak Prescott’s crippling $59.455 million cap charge in 2024. The other comes from the widespread expectation that Micah Parsons will expect to be made the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history as soon as the 2023 season ends.
Regardless, the possibility that Steele will get snatched up by another team in free agency has been eliminated.
The former Texas Tech tackle has 45 regular-season appearances with 40 starts. He also caught a touchdown pass in 2021.