Tyron Smith suffered a non-contact injury during Cowboys practice on Wednesday, and after initial testing proved his ACL was intact, it seemed the All Pro left tackle was in the clear.
However, according the ESPN, the longest-tenured Cowboy is out for at least a couple months after he tore his hamstring.
Dallas should be used to life without Smith, he’s missed 20 games in the past two seasons and hasn’t played a full season since 2016, but his absence will be felt when the Cowboys open their season against Tampa Bay.
It’s unclear just who will be protecting Dak Prescott’s blindside in Week 1.
Mike McCarthy relied on Terence Steele and Ty Nsekhe to fill in when Smith missed time last year.
READ MORE: Warren Sharp Breaks Down How Tyron Smith’s Injury Impacts the Cowboys
Unfortunately, Steele is now slated to play right tackle with La’el Collins in Cincinnati and Nsekhe remains an unsigned free agent.
On the current roster, Dallas does have rookie first-round pick Tyler Smith, who was selected to be Tyron Smith’s replacement down the line. However, the rookie has been spending the entire offseason at left guard and is currently day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Zack Martin did make two starts at right tackle in 2020 and if he’s willing to kick outside, that could free up Steele to swap over to left tackle, but he was unwilling to make that move last season when Collins was suspended.
The biggest name on the free agent market is Eric Fisher. The former number-one overall pick has remained unsigned after spending 2021 as the left tackle for the Colts.
Also available are Nate Solder and 40-year-old Jason Peters who was a late addition to the Bears last season and ended up starting 15 games at left tackle.
The Cowboys offense isn’t nearly as potent on paper as it has been in recent years with Amari Cooper now playing for the Browns and the rest of their receiving corps currently dealing with injuries.
But in recent years, Dallas has struggled with Smith off the field, averaging .7 yards less per rush and pass attempt without the All-Pro. Not to mention, the sacks allowed jumped as well, from 4.2-percent to 6.2-percent when Smith is on the sideline.
Tyler Smith is the biggest wild card here.
Despite McCarthy telling reporters that the rookie was losing the left guard battle to Connor McGovern, Smith did make 23 starts at left tackle in college and earned a 92.1 grade from PFF for his work in 2021 as a redshirt sophomore.
However, despite the impressive physical numbers, Smith was flagged 13 times just last season alone.
Now isn’t the time to take chances with Prescott’s protection. Not when his cap hit is set to jump to $49 million next year and $52 million the year after that.
Prescott set career-highs in completion percentage and passing touchdowns in 2021 and even with question marks at wide receiver, he could be poised for another great year if he remains on the field and healthy.
The Cowboys need to figure out a way to keep their well-paid franchise quarterback upright if they want to repeat as NFC East champions.
How does the Tyron Smith injury impact betting markets?
It’s unclear at this time if Smith’s injury will move betting lines for Cowboys win totals, but important to keep in mind as you consider betting on Dallas or various offensive player props this season.
Cowboys Current Win Total Over/Under Odds:
How many games will the Cowboys win this season?
The Cowboys are predicted to win 10.5 games in 2022, based on Vegas Odds.
Top NFL Players with Preseason Injuries:
- Drake London, Falcons: The 2022 first-round pick hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee in the Falcons’ preseason opener.
- Tyron Smith, Cowboys: The left tackle is out indefinitely with a torn hamstring.
- David Bakhtiari, Packers: He was removed from the PUP list on August 21st, but has yet to participate in any team drills during practice.
- Mekhi Becton, Jets: The former first round pick is expected to miss all of 2022 after suffering another knee injury.
- Jason Kelce, Eagles: He’s out indefinitely after undergoing a scope on his elbow.