Brian Schottenheimer led the Dallas Cowboys to a 7-9-1 record last season in his first year as head coach. After revamping the defense and running it back with essentially the same offense, this is a Cowboys team that could do some real damage this season and potentially get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2023. Unfortunately, it looks like they'll have to do so without one of their top offensive linemen to start the season.
On Monday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Cowboys All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith is scheduled to undergo thumb surgery Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Smith will be placed on injured reserve, which will cost him at least the first four games of the season, with TJ Bass stepping in at left guard. More news: Browns Fans Fuming Over Todd Monken’s Latest Deshaun Watson Announcement Smith was the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2022 and has since developed into one of the best guards in the NFL, earning second-team All-Pro honors in 2023 and making three straight Pro Bowls.
Last season, he finished with an overall PFF grade of 73.5, which ranked 15th out of 81 qualified guards, and a run-block grade of 81.1, which ranked fifth. He appeared in 16 games and has missed just five games over his four-year NFL career. The Cowboys' offense goes as Dak Prescott goes.
He's coming off one of the best seasons of his career, throwing for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions while completing 67.3% of his passes. He also enters this season with his top two receivers intact in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. But Prescott's mobility has trailed off in recent years due to injury, and he'll need a clean pocket to operate at the same level of efficiency that made the offense such a threat last season.
More news: Mike Evans Addresses Injury Concerns Ahead of 49ers’ Debut More news: Latest Chiefs Injury News is the Last Thing Patrick Mahomes Wants to Hear Smith was supposed to play a key part in that as the Cowboys' best offensive lineman. Now, Dallas may need to wait until mid to late October to get him back. The Cowboys open the regular season against the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
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