T.J. Bass
Dallas CowboysSeason Stats · 9 games
Draft & College
STM Take
Back-to-back tier 1 finishes (#2 in 2024, #1 in 2025) as a 2023 UDFA puts Bass in the top one or two interior linemen in the league by STTM ranking, which is the kind of result that triggers a Pro Bowl re-evaluation. The Oregon 38-start résumé plus the trajectory across two straight seasons confirms the talent is structural, not situational. The 2026 question is whether the broader football world catches up to the STTM ranking and rewards him with a market-resetting contract.
Bass came out of Oregon as a 2023 undrafted free agent signed by the Detroit Lions after starting 38 games for the Ducks at left guard. He worked his way into Detroit's interior rotation as a rookie, then landed in Dallas where he has anchored the guard spot through two straight elite STTM seasons. His back-to-back tier 1 finishes (#2 in 2024, #1 in 2025) make him one of the most over-performing UDFAs at the position in recent years.
Strengths
- Back-to-back tier 1 IOL finishes (#2, #1) across two straight seasons after going UDFA out of Oregon is one of the most outlier-positive draft-slot-vs-outcome arcs in the league.
- Settled into a structural starter role in Dallas at age 27 with the prime years ahead and an Oregon 38-start technical foundation.
Concerns
- First Pro Bowl recognition still pending despite back-to-back top-2 STTM finishes, which raises the question of whether the broader market will reward the on-field production.
- UDFA contract structure means leverage is limited until the next extension window opens, compressing 2026 financial upside.
What to watch: Whether Bass earns his first Pro Bowl in 2026 to close the gap between STTM ranking (#1, #2) and broader market recognition.