DALLAS — One of the biggest fears for the Dallas Cowboys occurred at Wednesday’s practice as starting left tackle Tyron Smith went down with an injury. After the initial diagnosis that suggested Smith’s knee was structurally intact, and that the perennial Pro Bowl LT left the locker room walking without a noticeable limp, Cowboys nation let out a collective sigh of relief.
Those feelings of contentment were short-lived. An avulsion fracture – an injury where the hamstring is torn from the knee – is expected to keep him out months.
The injury to Smith is rough news for the Cowboys, but it’s hardly a surprise that the veteran LT will miss time. As good as Smith has been since being drafted 9th overall in 2011, he hasn’t played a full slate of games since 2015.
Over the last six seasons, Smith missed 20 games, including 14 in 2020. An injury to Smith shouldn’t be a shock, and it’s why the Cowboys should’ve taken adding a veteran backup tackle more seriously this offseason.
The biggest question now is, what do the Cowboys do without Smith? The team prepared poorly for this eventuality and now they’re forced to deal with the reality of playing without Smith before they appear ready.
Right now, the simplest solution is to put rookie Tyler Smith at left tackle. Dallas selected Smith to take over for Tyron Smith in the future, but the learning curve would need to be sped up for the 2022 first-rounder to be ready now. The plan was for Smith to work exclusively at left guard as a rookie. It looks as though the team might have to change that initial plan.
Moving Smith would be part of more alterations for the offensive line. If Smith switches to LT, it would mean that Connor McGovern would stay at left guard, where he has been the starter throughout training camp.
Another option would be to make use of the swing tackle in Smith’s spot. Josh Ball was considered the leading candidate for that backup role, but his preseason work has left much to be desired. The team had hoped that Ball would be ready to take a step forward in his second year, but the reports from camp haven’t been glowing.
Rookie Matt Waletzko might eventually be their answer, but he just returned from a shoulder injury and has missed most of camp thus far. It would be asking a lot from Waletzko to win the RT job after only a few weeks of preparation and just one exhibition game. The fifth-round pick was considered a bit of a project when the team drafted him so expecting him to be an immediate starter is not realistic.
Even if the Cowboys did use Smith, Ball, or Waletzko, they would still be thin at tackle. Tyron Smith’s injury is exactly why it felt like the team was making a mistake by not adding a veteran tackle this offseason. That has now become another option but with very limited time to find an upgrade.
The best linemen still available are Eric Fisher and Daryl Williams, both of whom could be signed for a reasonable salary, the calling card for what the Cowboys want under Stephen Jones. Bryan Bulaga is another option, and he played under Mike McCarthy and offensive line coach Joe Philbin, but he’s another player who is prone to injuries.
Any way you look at it, this is a near disaster for the Cowboys. Smith’s injury was predictable, and the team could’ve avoided having to scramble for answers if they had been more proactive in finding a more adequate swing tackle.
This isn’t an ideal position to be in and Dallas has no one to blame but themselves. With Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season just weeks away, the onus is on the Cowboys to trudge forward without their All-Pro left tackle.
Do you think the offensive line will survive without Tyron Smith? Share your thoughts with Ben on Twitter @BenGrimaldi.