The Cowboys will likely be without their longest-tenured player on the roster next season.
Offensive tackle Tyron Smith is a free agent and will not return to Dallas in 2024, NFL Network reported. Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday..
but, ESPN reported Even if Smith doesn’t find a strong market, there’s still a chance he returns to the Cowboys.
Smith, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, has been a mainstay on the Cowboys’ offensive line since entering the league, earning eight Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro selections.
However, the 33-year-old Smith has battled injuries in recent seasons, appearing in just two games in 2020 after undergoing surgery for a neck problem, and suiting up only in 2022 due to a torn hamstring. It was 4 games.
However, Smith had a big bounce-back year in Dallas in 2023, earning him a second-team All-Pro spot.
According to Pro Football Focus, he averaged an 83.3 grade (4th in the NFL with 81 tackles) despite allowing just one sack and three penalty kicks during the regular season. left.
Quarterback Dak Prescott thrived last season, and Dallas overall gained 371.6 yards per game in 2023, ranking fifth in the NFL.
Owner Jerry Jones praised the tackle at the NFL Combine on Friday.
“We’re going to go in the right way and talk about his business and come up with something that’s good for both of us,” Jones said. According to the team’s website. “He’s had a great career. He’s a Hall of Fame player…I can’t express in words how good we thought we were with him heading into the playoffs, his health, his situation. .
“I thought we were where you wanted us to be, and I gave coach Mike McCarthy a lot of credit for helping us push him to just the right spot heading into the playoffs.” I did.”
