Dallas Cowboys starting left guard Tyler Smith will undergo thumb surgery and is headed to injured reserve, coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday. The move means Smith, a Pro Bowler in each of the past three seasons, will miss at least the first four games of the season.
The injury had been bothering Smith for some time. He had hoped to avoid surgery, but the decision became final over the weekend. The procedure is scheduled for Tuesday, and the expected recovery timeline is four to six weeks.
With Smith out, the Cowboys will turn to T.J. Bass at left guard. Bass has ten career starts, including five last year, and the team showed confidence in him during the offseason by giving him a second-round restricted free agent tender. That move solidified his role as a key reserve, and now he steps into a starting job for an offensive line facing a brutal early-season slate.
Nick Leverett could fill the backup interior role from the practice squad. Leverett impressed during camp and preseason as a reserve center, and he may be elevated to the 53-man roster to replace Smith’s spot. Dallas has a few options, but Schottenheimer made it clear that Bass is the starter.
Because Smith is going on injured reserve, NFL rules require him to sit out at least four weeks. He will be eligible to return against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 8. At that point, the Cowboys would open his 21-day practice window, though he could jump back into the lineup immediately if cleared.
Smith’s absence looms large considering Dallas’s first four opponents: the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans. Each of those teams features a formidable defensive front, and the Ravens, in particular, could exploit the new alignment. Baltimore’s rebuilt pass rush will be watching closely, with Nnamdi Madubuike working his way back from a neck injury and coach Jesse Minter adding depth throughout the offseason.
The Cowboys avoided major injuries through all of training camp and the preseason, but this one arrived just before the regular season kickoff. Smith has developed into one of the NFL’s premier interior linemen since being selected in the first round of the 2022 draft. His ability to anchor the left side will be tested as Bass steps in for what could stretch to six weeks.
For the Ravens, the timing offers a potential advantage. They will have two games of film to study how Dallas adjusts protections without Smith, and the matchup in Week 3 could turn on that exact battle. For the Cowboys, patience is now a necessity.
