Stephen Jones talks about Tyler Smith and his future position on the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have a good problem with left guard Tyler Smith. When Smith was drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Cowboys anticipated him eventually being the heir to Tyron Smith at the left tackle position. He spent all of training camp in his rookie year practicing at left guard in preparation for the season-opener against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, when Tyron suffered an injury prior to week one, Tyler had to step in at the left tackle slot in his first professional game. While the Cowboys lost the game, Tyler was more than serviceable in Tyron’s absence. The rookie spent the majority of his rookie season protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside, giving fans good reason to be confident in him being the left tackle of the future.
In his sophomore season in 2023, Tyler Smith played at the left guard position, with Tyron Smith being healthy to start the season. The second-year player out of Tulsa played his best football, earning him a Pro Bowl selection and an AP second-team All-Pro selection. Smith jumped from being a reliable left tackle in his rookie year, to being among the best left guards in football in his sophomore season.
Stephen Jones was asked at the NFL combine on Tuesday about the future of Smith in Dallas and where he thinks he will line up on the offensive line.
“That remains to be seen. It’s starting to feel like Larry Allen all over again. His versatility certainly brings options to the table in terms of how we look at this team moving forward.”
Smith having the versatility to be a valuable starter at either left guard or left tackle is a good situation for the Cowboys to be in. It certainly gives them insurance if pending free agent Tyron Smith takes a contract to play somewhere else in 2024. However, it appears Tyron would like to finish his career in Dallas.
If Smith ultimately chooses to go to a different contending team, the Cowboys have some insurance on who their starting left tackle could be in 2024. However, if Smith returns to the Cowboys, the team can feel comfortable regarding the left side of their offensive line. When healthy, the guard and tackle combo of Tyron and Tyler are one of the better left sides of any line across the NFL.