The Dallas Cowboys have been holding their breath in regards to the health of left tackle Tyron Smith since the start of training camp.
There will be no collective sigh of relief.
Sources confirmed, Smith sustained a torn left hamstring injury in practice on Wednesday and could be out several months in what could now be the last season of his career.
Tests revealed that Smith, 32, an eight-time Pro Bowler and the longest tenured Cowboys player, suffered an avulsion fracture of the knee, meaning the hamstring tendon that sits at the back of the knee pulled off the bone. He will require surgery and will be out until possibly December.
It has left the Cowboys scrambling for a blindside protector for quarterback Dak Prescott less than three weeks before the Sept. 11 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury raises more questions about an offensive line that was once regarded as the foundation of the team’s success, but now could be he team’s biggest weakness heading into the season.
Smith has not played in a full season since 2015. He has missed at least three games in each of the six years.
He missed 14 games in 2020 and six games in 2021.
Yet, the Cowboys hoped that all would be well in 2022.
They targeted 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith as the future replacement at left tackle but planned to start him at left guard this season.
Tyler Smith has not secured the starting spot at left guard. Coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged on Wednesday that Connor McGovern would be the starter if the season started today.
He said Tyler Smith, who has missed the last two days of practice with an ankle injury and may not play in Friday’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks, needed more reps.
Now, the question is what do the Cowboys do to fix their gaping hole at left tackle to protect Prescott?
Do they move Tyler Smith there? He has struggled to grasp the technical fundamentals at left guard and needs more reps. He did start 21 games at left tackle in college at Tulsa. How about Josh Ball, a fourth-round pick in 2021? He has taken most of the reps as the third tackle behind Tyron Smith and right tackle Terence Steele in training camp. He is unproven and has struggled in pass protection.
How about Matt Waletzko, a 2022 fifth-round pick? He has missed much of camp and the first two preseason games with a shoulder injury. He returned to practice and will take the field for the first time against the Seahawks. He is not a realistic option to start left tackle.
The Cowboys could also address the position in free agency or via trade. Former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher, who started 15 games last season for the Indianapolis Colts, is available.
At the end of the day, the Cowboys have no one but themselves to blame.
Rather than address the position with a veteran insurance policy in free agency, they rolled the dice with Tyron Smith’s already shaky health. It’s a questionable offensive situation which has a reduction in talent. The team was already without three starters from in 2021 in No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper, right tackle La’el Collins and left guard Connor Williams.
The Cowboys planned to make up for the loss of Cooper with a more run-based attack.
The development of the offensive line was going to be crucial to their success.
Steele was going to be in his first full season at right tackle in replace of Collins. Tyler Smith’s power was expected to be an upgrade to Williams left guard.
Now, they will have three new starters up front when they open the season against Tampa Bay.
If only someone could have seen this coming.
