For the last decade Tyron Smith has had a legitimate claim to the throne of best offensive tackle in the NFL. As recently as last year, NFL personnel decided Smith was still the “Gold Standard” for offensive tackle play.
Recently, ESPN once again asked over 50 players, coaches, scouts and executives to grade players at each position heading into the 2021 season. Smith, while not at his accustomed top spot, remained in the top 10, coming in at ninth.
Smith’s drop is understandable; the four-time All-Pro had never missed more than three games in a season before missing a total of 14 games in 2020 after surgery on his neck, an issue that has plagued Smith for a few seasons now.
Injury issues for offensive lineman that have played a decade in the league are sometimes the sign of the end for said player.
However, Smith is amazingly still just 30-years old, and if his recent surgery is a success, meaning he is able stay healthy there is reason to believe he can continue excel at protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside for at least a few more years.
News out of the Cowboys spring and summer practices was certainly positive regarding the former USC Trojan and his attempt to return to form.
“They both look in great shape,” head coach Mike McCarthy said about both Cowboys tackles, Smith and La’el Collins in late May. McCarthy would add, “They both have been here the whole time through phases one, two and three. They’re where they need to be.”
The Cowboys are an entirely different team with Smith operating at full force, and the stats back that up, as noted by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler,
“Dallas is 11-12 without Smith since 2017, and the offense’s total QBR dips from 67.3 to 60.3 when he’s not in the lineup, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Cowboys allow pressure on 29% of their offensive snaps without him, 24.6% with him. The sack rate balloons from 5.5% to 7.3% when he’s on the sideline.”
Whether Smith is the top tackle or just a top-10 tackle doesn’t necessarily mean too much, as his presence in the lineup alone will undoubtedly give the offense a boost.
The aforementioned Collins was an honorable mention on ESPN’s top tackle list entering 2020, before missing the entire season with a hip injury. If the 27-year old Collins can stay healthy and build upon his impressive 2019, he could easily play his way into next year’s top 10 rankings.
The return of Smith and Collins may be overshadowed by Prescott’s campaign for Comeback Player of the Year, but the health of the Cowboys’ tackles will be absolutely crucial toward the club achieving their postseason goals in 2021.
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