Cowboys Lose Pro Bowl Guard Tyler Smith to Thumb Surgery
Dallas Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith will undergo thumb surgery and is expected to land on injured reserve, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters Monday. The procedure sidelines the three-time Pro Bowler for at least the first four games of the regular season, just days before Dallas opens against the New York Giants.
"Tyler Smith is going to have surgery on his thumb tomorrow morning," Schottenheimer said. "It's something that he's just been dealing with." The surgery opens a spot on Dallas' 53-man roster. T.J. Bass, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent and made 10 career starts including five last season, is set to step in as the starting left guard. The Cowboys retained Bass this offseason with a second-round restricted free agent tender. futsal odds
Smith's absence removes one of the league's most reliable pass protectors from Dallas' front line. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just three sacks and 26 pressures last season. Since Dallas selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Smith has surrendered only 12 sacks across four seasons and 63 career starts, per PFF - a mark that helped establish him as one of the position's top performers.
Dallas opens the season Sunday night against the Giants, then faces a demanding early stretch that includes the Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers. How the retooled offensive line holds up without Smith will be an early test for a Cowboys offense built around explosive playmaking.
