The Cowboys have been down this road before, but never in the offseason. Left tackle Tyron Smith made his eighth Pro Bowl in 2021, despite only appearing in 11 games in a season where the schedule was increased to 17. Still, the writing was on the wall. After only playing in two games in 2020 on the heels of four straight years playing 13 of 16, Smith clearly couldn’t be counted on to complete a season.
When healthy, he was still one of the game’s best, maybe even the best, but it seemed silly to count on that health without a strong backup plan. Dallas’ backup plans in recent years hadn’t worked. The club has consistently signed veteran tackles as backups over numerous seasons, but they hadn’t worked out and instead Dallas decided to go the youth route. Now, with Smith suffering a major hamstring injury that will keep him out for multiple months, the club will likely have to pivot their intentions again.
Here’s a look at the options Dallas has to replace the star and protect QB Dak Prescott’s blind side, from in-house moves to roster additions.