The two-time All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler has been one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the NFL. Even in his 12th season in 2022, Smith was moving bodies for Dallas, proving to be an important part of their constantly changing offensive line.
Looking forward to the 2023 season, Smith’s future with the Cowboys has become a hot button issue. Does he factor into the starting unit? With injuries always a factor, does he factor into the depth? With the new line coach, does he factor into the future at all?
At a cap number of $17,605,000, Smith is an expensive player to keep around. He counts the fourth-most against the Dallas salary cap in 2023, a lofty status rarely bestowed on players who don’t even have a clear starting spot on the roster.
Over the past three seasons, Smith has only played in a combined 17 regular season games. Various injuries have arisen at an alarming rate, leading many to wonder if Smith will ever be a reliable enough presence to demand a dedicated starting spot.
Contract and career path
The Cowboys drafted Smith at the ripe age of 20. He began his Dallas career at right tackle, moving to the left side in his second season. Smith went on to play 10 seasons at left tackle where he instantly established himself as one of the best in the game.
As injuries started to pile up, Smith began to lose an element of dominance. But even at 80 percent, Smith was a top-tier tackle, so the Cowboys happily paid his salary.
His contract, considered by many as one of the best in the NFL, was an eight-year, $97,600,000 extension signed in 2014. It made him one of the highest paid tackles at the time but was always seen as a tremendous coup by the front office. As salaries around him naturally inflated, his deal continued to look like a steal.
Until the injuries started to pile up.
Last summer, the Cowboys had Smith penciled as their starting left tackle. But a nasty hamstring injury, suffered two weeks before the season began, landed Smith on injured reserve. He returned in mid-December, playing right tackle in place of the injured Terence Steele.
Left tackle vs right tackle
With stints at right tackle bookmarking his illustrious left tackle career, Smith’s ideal spot on the Cowboys is unknown.
He’s better on the left side. Years of muscle memory cannot be denied, no matter how gifted and determined the player might be. But the entire Dallas offensive line has to be considered when determining Smith’s ideal location in 2023.
The Cowboys first round rookie from 2022, Tyler Smith, had a strong rookie season at left tackle. He far exceeded his early expectations and no longer looks purely developmental, but rather a legitimate NFL starter. If Dallas wants to continue his progression at left tackle and focus more on the future, they may decide the elder Smith should play where he played last season, on the right.
The problem with the right side is it is also occupied by a young player on the rise.
Steele was enjoying a breakout season at right tackle before a December ACL injury ended his season. At just 25-years-old, he has a bright future ahead of him and should be ready for action in 2023.
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At the very least, Steele will likely be back for another season (he is a restricted free agent) which means yet another path to a starting role for the veteran Smith is blocked.
If picking sides, left tackle remains the most likely landing spot for Smith because Steele doesn’t have the versatility to play other positions, while the second-year Smith, does.
The Cowboys could use the younger Smith inside at left guard, where he split time in 2022, which would pave the way for the veteran Smith to reclaim his long-time role as starting left tackle.
Is swing tackle worth it?
Smith’s injury history is enough to give any risk manager pause. Banking on a player who’s missed as much time as Smith has over the past three years, is not a safe bet to make. But Smith is still a valuable player when healthy, and as he proved last season, a vital player to have standing by when things go awry.
Knowing the inevitable injury will occur, the Cowboys may bring Smith back as an insurance policy. If things go poorly and/or Dallas fails to develop a left guard, (Tyler) Smith could move back inside and (Tyron) Smith back to his familiar left tackle spot.
The elder Smith showed he could still play right tackle. Maybe he could go into the season as the acting swing tackle?
At his current cap value, he would be one of the most costly swing tackles ever, but then again, what are the alternatives? Cutting him will still cost $8,010,000 in dead cap so keeping him on as a reserve lineman may not be as absurd as it sounds.
Not having Smith to come in and play right tackle down the stretch in 2022 would have been a frightening thought.
Smith is just 32-years-old but with high mileage, which means a multi-year contract extension probably isn’t the answer. But Smith is still a good player who can play multiple roles. He’s one of their best five and based on last season, Dallas can never have too many good offensive linemen.