Blogging The Boys
Do you think the Cowboys should give any consideration to moving Tyler Smith to left tackle?
Tyler Smith is an All-Pro guard. Watching him pummel defenders in the trenches has become a glorious sight over the past two seasons. The Dallas Cowboys drafted the Tulsa tackle 24th overall in 2022 with the intentions of sliding him inside to play guard; however, an injury to Tyron Smith forced him to man the edge during his rookie season. There were some bumps along the way, but the then 21-year-old held up admirably at the most important position on the offensive line.
The following year, when Tyron Smith was back, Tyler took over the left guard spot and flourished. It was a match made in heaven. All his deficiencies, such as balance, technique, and lack of discipline, transformed into a powerful downhill mauler who would take defenders on a stroll. Holding penalties were replaced with highlights as this previously raw talent immediately transformed into one of the game's best interior offensive linemen. You’d have to be a crazy person to ever consider moving him back outside.
[crazy has entered the chat]
Now that we have shared our feelings on why Smith needs to stay firmly planted at left guard, let’s shake up this Etch-A-Sketch and draw a picture of why moving him to left tackle might be worth visiting. Again, we’re not advocating for this; we’re just entertaining all options in the spirit of being thorough.
It looks like last year’s seventh-round pick, Nate Thomas, will be getting the first crack, but here are some things the Cowboys should take into consideration.
The Cowboys selected Tyler Guyton to replace Tyron Smith after the 13-year veteran struggled to stay healthy. Smith missed games in each of his last eight seasons with the Cowboys, including a three-year stretch from 2020-2022 where he missed 70% of his games.
Unfortunately, Guyton’s career is not off to a great start. He dealt with injuries last season, and counting his final two years in college, this will now make four-straight years that he’s missed time due to injuries. His story is far from written, but his inability to stay healthy is a little concerning.
Over the last nine seasons, only one player has started every game at left tackle for the Cowboys. And that player is Tyler Smith.
With Guyton out of action, the Cowboys must now put out an ABP for a replacement left tackle. They have some in-house options among the current tackles, our own Brandon Loree laid them out for us, including Nate Thomas. The solution could be found with backup tackles, but those names don’t inspire much confidence. Protecting Dak Prescott’s blind spot is rather important.
What the Cowboys lack in tackle depth, they have in spades along the interior. Brock Hoffman was expected to be the team’s new right guard, but that changed when...
