Tag: Tyron Smith

Could longtime Cowboys star be Commanders answer at left tackle in 2024?

Tyron Smith is expected to be available.

After 13 Hall-of-Fame seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, offensive tackle Tyron Smith appears on his way out.

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the 33-year-old Smith looks like he will be elsewhere in 2024.

With Smith expected to be available on the free-agent market, he immediately becomes the top offensive tackle available, regardless of his age. In his 13 seasons in Dallas, Smith made the Pro Bowl eight times, was a two-time first-team All-Pro and a three-time second-team All-Pro.

Why would Dallas move on from Smith?

It sounds like the two sides differ on Smith’s value. Smith sees what Trent Williams got paid into his 30s and likely wants the same treatment from the Cowboys. Also, the Cowboys could move Tyler Smith to left tackle. Smith played left tackle as a rookie and looked excellent before moving to left guard last season.

Guess who has the second-most salary-cap room and needs a left tackle? The Washington Commanders.

Washington released Charles Leno Jr. on Friday due to his age, injuries, and salary number. Smith is older than Leno, will cost more and also has an injury history. So, why would the Commanders sign another older offensive tackle?

Leno was a solid player, an overachiever. Smith is an elite player. And all general manager Adam Peters needs to do is ask his new head coach Dan Quinn how much gas Smith has left in the tank. Smith hasn’t played a full season since 2015. He played in 13 games last season.

Here’s a look at how many games Smith has played in each of the past five seasons:

  • 2019: 13
  • 2020: 2
  • 2021: 11
  • 2022: 4
  • 2023: 13

That’s concerning, for sure. But the Commanders will have better knowledge of Smith’s injuries than any other team, thanks to Quinn.

Any team interested in Smith will have competition. Contending teams needing offensive line help should be all over Smith. The Commanders aren’t expected to be a contender in 2024, but that doesn’t mean Washington isn’t trying to win. If the Commanders select a rookie quarterback at No. 2 overall, it would make sense to invest in a veteran left tackle.

If Washington signed Smith, it would also need to sign a quality swing tackle. That would make bringing back veteran Cornelius Lucas even more critical. Lucas has thrived in the swing tackle role over the past four seasons.

Injuries and age are concerns with Smith, but he will immediately be one of the top free agents available. Does Washington kick the tired on the longtime Cowboy? It would be a wise short-term decision.

 

5 NFL free agency destinations for elite Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith, including the Chiefs

Where could elite NFL tackle Tyron Smith land this offseason?

Future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith will likely sign with a new team in NFL free agency this month.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport shared on Saturday that the Dallas Cowboys are unlikely to re-sign Smith ahead of free agency, which would lead the longtime left tackle to a new team.

While Smith has struggled with injuries over the last few seasons, he played in 13 games in 2023 and still logged an impressive 83.8 Pro Football Focus score for his reps.

For a contending team with a need at left tackle or a franchise flushed with cap space and likely to develop a rookie quarterback, Smith would be an excellent fit. We’ve found five teams that more than fit the bill.

Cowboys, Tyron Smith far apart on OT’s value, appear ready to part ways in free agency

Ian Rapoprt reports Tyron Smith is likely to leave the Cowboys in free agency marking an end of an era and bringing a new top need to Dallas. From @ReidDHanson

Tyron Smith, set to hit free agency for the first time in his illustrious career, is not expected to be back in Dallas in 2024, according to Ian Rapoport who called it the “end of an era.” The ninth-overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft had been mainstay at OT for the Cowboys from Day 1, but apparently the two sides have too much room between what each side sees as a reasonable deal for Smith to return.

From Tony Romo to Dak Prescott, Smith was charged with protecting the quarterback’s blindside. It was a job he didn’t take lightly, and a role not easily replaced.

In a free agent class that can accurately be described as paltry, at best, for the position, Smith will be a hot commodity to the many teams seeking upgrades at LT.

Smith’s reliability had become a concern in Dallas. Over the past four seasons the former All Pro had only averaged 7.5 regular season games per year. When he played, he was his usual dominant self. It just didn’t happen frequently enough.

In 2023 the Cowboys restructured Smith’s contract to reduce his base salary and free up cap space. His future with the Cowboys was in question up to that point and it allowed the veteran to stay aboard for another season. Smith rewarded them with a spectacular year, playing in 13 regular season games and ranking as one of the best LTs in the game, once again.

If Smith leaves the Cowboys as Rapoport suggests, Dallas will likely turn to internal options or the NFL draft to find a replacement. Internal OT prospects like Asim Richards, Matt Waletzko and Josh Ball are possible but moving Tyler Smith back to LT seems the most feasible.

Tyler Smith played LT at Tulsa and manned the post for the Cowboys during his rookie season in 2022. While he looked better as a LG in 2023, he was still one of the top performing rookie LTs in recent years and was on an impressive trajectory before he ultimately moved inside.

Speaking to reporters as the combine earlier in the week, Stephen Jones discussed Tyler Smith’s versatility between the two positions and instead of naming his ideal location for Smith, he left the matter somewhat open for discussion.

If the Cowboys decide to keep Tyler Smith at guard, they would likely turn to the draft to address LT. The 2024 NFL draft is rich in OT talent and an option or two is likely to slip to Dallas at Pick 24, or possibly even 56 if the Cowboys are willing to wait.

As mentioned earlier, free agency doesn’t offer many great options so the Cowboys will have to focus on internal options or the draft for real solutions. Luckily for them both avenues offer solutions.

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4 offensive linemen Titans should target in free agency

A look at four offensive linemen the Titans should target in free agency, with one from each position of need.

After yet another dismal year for the offensive line in 2023, the Tennessee Titans may end up replacing up to four starters upfront in 2024.

The only player locked into a starting role for next season is 2023 first-round pick and left guard Peter Skoronski, who showed signs that he has the goods to be a long-term solution at the position.

While Skoronski is the only sure thing, there’s no guarantee he’ll be the only one to return from last year’s group, as it’s conceivable Tennessee could stick with some in-house options at different spots.

The Titans will have multiple avenues to improve their offensive line this offseason, whether that be through free agency, the draft and/or a trade.

With free agency first on the offseason docket, here’s a look at four offensive linemen the Titans could target. We’ve included one player for each of the four positions Tennessee may want to replace.

Proceed with Caution: Cowboys can’t make same swing tackle mistake

The situation at LT for the Cowboys proved the Cowboys need a starting quality reserve is needed and there no short cuts or cheap fixes. | From @ReidDHanson

A year ago, the Cowboys found themselves in quite the dilemma. On one hand they had their generational LT under contract and eager to go. On the other hand, they had his injury history, averaging just 5.6 games over the last three seasons. When healthy, Tyron Smith was as good as there was in the NFL. Problem was he was rarely healthy.

The solution was a reworked deal which saved the team money. With any luck that money could be reinvested in a veteran backup OT who could fill in for the inevitable missed games. But since starting quality OTs are always seemingly in short supply, the Cowboys took aim a player many labeled a bust.

The Cowboys signed the maligned Chuma Edoga as the solution to their problems at LT.

Edoga, once a third-round pick, hadn’t lived up to his draft day expectations. Many wondered if he was better suited for an OG role given his struggles on the edge. The Cowboys entered the situation with an open mind because they were hoping for one of their previous mid-rounders, Josh Ball or Matt Waltezko, to make the jump.

They did not.

Instead of finding one clear solution to the problem at backup LT, they threw numbers at the issue. Nothing stuck. Waletzko, Ball and Edoga all failed in their own way to be a viable backup to Smith. Thankfully Smith had a resurgent season in 2023, only missing 4 games and keeping the damage of his absences down to a minimum.

In 2024, the Cowboys face a similar dilemma. With Smith a free agent, they are not only faced with the issue as to whether they should bring him back, but also who should they tab as his certain-to-be-used backup.

Smith had a top-five season in 2023, so as long as the terms are right, the Cowboys would be wise to bring him back. But also given his availability issues, they’d be wise to invest heavily in a backup because there’s a good chance Smith will miss more snaps than he’ll play,averaging just 503 snaps played per year since 2020.

This is not the usual OL6 situation in Dallas.

If Smith is a starter on the team, OL6 needs to be seen as a starter as well. Edoga taught the Cowboys cheap solutions don’t exist. Money or high-end draft capital needs to be spent because LT is one of the most important positions on the field and all indications are Smith will miss time.

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Ranking 2024’s top 12 free-agent offensive tackles

Are there any hog mollies worth keeping an eye on in free agency?

Will the Carolina Panthers be able to find the fabled offensive line depth this offseason?

Here are the top 12 free-agent offensive tackles of 2024:

Cowboys’ offensive line already accounts for almost 25% of ’24 salary cap

Following the money spent on the offensive line finds Dallas’ depth impressive but two big holes have to be filled. | From @ArmyChiefW3

Budgeting for the offensive line is not an easy task as this group, whose numbers normally hover around 10 every season, can consume a large portion of a team’s salary cap. Even when only one player is paid top dollar, the amount of money spent on linemen can be a burden based on sheer numbers. With so many teams across the league scrambling for viable options, Dallas has assembled a cast of young hopefuls that could provide depth for the next few years.

The Cowboys will need to address the starting left tackle position this offseason, and although the upcoming draft is full of options, bringing back Tyron Smith could be the smart play. So could an agreement with center Tyler Biadasz, who is slated to hit the open market for the first time in his career. Here’s a rundown of what is currenly on the ledger for the group going into 2024.

Re-signing free agent OT Tyron Smith isn’t a gamble if the Cowboys do it right

The Cowboys need to keep free agent Tyron Smith but also protect themselves and build for the future at LT, says @ReidDHanson

There’s a debate waging in Cowboys Nation as to whether Dallas should re-sign their soon-to-be free agent Tyron Smith this offseason, or not. The Cowboys’ 34-year-old left tackle is set to hit the market after his 2024 contract season voids, putting his future in Dallas fully in doubt.

One side of the debate argues Smith’s best days are behind him and his sorted injury history make him an unreliable piece to the offense’s most important puzzle. Given Smith hasn’t played more than 13 games in a season since the Obama administration, it’s a fair argument to make.

The other side argues he’s still too damn good to put out to pasture. Smith is coming off his best season in years and in the 13 games he played in 2023, he graded out by PFF as No. 4 in a field of 83 OTs. Reliable or not, most teams would kill for that level of play at LT.

Yet, the debate wages.

It wasn’t long ago the bulk of Cowboys Nation had had enough of their former All Pro LT. After years of diligent service and elite play, Smith’s body began to break down. The former 2011 first rounder had become a mainstay on the injury report, and over the course of three seasons he only played a total of 17 games for Dallas.

His reliability issues soured the fanbase and prompted a renegotiation between player and front office last winter. As fortune would have it, 2023 was a resurgence year for the 34-year-old lineman. Smith played in 13 games and generally operated on an island manned up against the very best pass rushers in the league.

Play significantly dropped off when Smith was absent from the lineup, speaking to his level of play and the lack of depth employed behind him on the roster. The Cowboys were a better team with Smith in the lineup; something even his most adamant distractors had to admit.

ESPN+: Prescott is 2023 MVP, 7 Cowboys make Walder’s top-100 ballot

The Cowboys have a ton of talent, and while it clearly doesn’t guarantee results when it matters, it is better than not having any. | From @KDDrummondNFL

ESPN’s Seth Walder is one of the finest analytical minds the football world has to offer. Walder is the face of metrics that help explain the why of what happens, such as pass-block win rates, double-team rates, motion-at-the-snap rates and others. He doesn’t do it by himself, of course, ESPN has a vast network of analytical guys and girls that pour hours into quantifying things beyond the eye test. Hopefully one day their work will be the driving force behind all of the talking-head opinions.

Haha. Still, in looking back on the 2023 regular season — it’s a shame the playoffs were totally cancelled this year and the NFL won’t return until September, right? Right?? — Walder has once again objected to the AP only going five deep when it comes to the MVP award. Instead, he rolls out his ballot that goes all the way to 100. Sitting atop the perch? Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott.

Prescott was one of three Cowboys to land in Walder’s top-eight, and one of seven to make the rankings overall. Not a lot of solace with such a disappointing end to the season, but Dallas does have a ton of talent on their roster. While it clearly doesn’t guarantee results, it’s certainly better to have than not.

9 Cowboys named to AP All-Pro teams, led by WR CeeDee Lamb

The Cowboys two best players didn’t make First-Team All-Pro, but the club leads the NFL in players on the 2023 roster. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Dallas Cowboys apparently have the most great players in the NFL in 2023. A league-high nine members of the club’s 53-man roster were named to the Associated Press’ All-Pro team following the conclusion of the regular season. The leading vote getter for the club was wideout CeeDee Lamb, who fell just one vote shy of being a unanimous selection.

The AP All-Pro team is comprised of the best players at their positions, regardless of conference. Much like the NFLPA All-Pro list revealed earlier in the week, the best Cowboys player on each side of the ball was not named to the First Team. Both quarterback Dak Prescott and edge rusher Micah Parsons have been named to the Second-Team.

Dallas finished with a 12-5 record, tied for the best in their conference while winning the NFC East for the second time in three years. Dallas finished with the same final record as the San Francisco 49ers, but due to a head-to-head loss in Week 5, are the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff bracket as the tournament is set to kick off. In a likely preview of the MVP voting to be announced in February, Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson took 45 of the 50 first-place votes for quarterback, with Prescott and San Francisco’s Brock Purdy getting two first-place votes each. Prescott had more overall votes than Purdy, earning the Second-Team honor.

The 49ers had seven players between the two teams with five First-Team players, including RB Christian McCaffrey and LB Fred Warner, who were unanimous choices.

Here’s a rundown of who made each from the Cowboys, as well as the full First and Second teams.