FRISCO, Texas -- Tyron Smith is among the greatest offensive linemen in Dallas Cowboys history. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl eight times. He was a first-team All-Pro twice. At some point, he should be selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And in 2024, he might play for another team.
With free agency opening up next week, it is unlikely that Smith will return to Dallas for a 14th season. A meeting at the scouting combine between the organization and his agent has led many to believe Smith will wear a different helmet in the upcoming season.
It would seem to leave the Cowboys with a huge vacancy on their offensive line, but this is an eventuality for which the Cowboys have prepared the past two seasons.
In 2022, the Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith in the first round and were not shy about calling him the left tackle of the future. When Tyron Smith suffered a hamstring injury so severe that it required surgery, Tyler Smith became the left tackle of the present.
As a rookie, Tyler Smith started 16 games at left tackle and one at left guard. He was the first rookie offensive lineman in team history to start a season opener at left tackle. Tyron Smith played right tackle as a rookie in 2011.
With Tyron Smith healthy in 2023, the Cowboys moved Tyler Smith to left guard -- he started all 14 games he played and was added to the Pro Bowl.
When executive vice president Stephen Jones was asked if the team's preference was to keep Tyler Smith at left guard, Jones said that remains to be seen and then invoked the name of the greatest offensive lineman in team history.
"It's starting to feel like Larry Allen all over again," Jones said. "The great thing about Tyler is his versatility, he could be a great left tackle too. Larry Allen played one or two years at left tackle and I think he made All-Pro those years too. Tyler's got that in him. At the end of the day when we're through massaging it, we'll have a good spot for him. The great news is we have Tyler Smith. His versatility certainly brings options to the tables as we look at this team moving forward."
Tyler Smith turns 23 in April. Tyron Smith turns 34 in December. The Cowboys have to be mindful of price and age when thinking about Tyron Smith's future with them.
Tyron Smith played well in 2023. Coach Mike McCarthy said it was the best he had seen Smith play since he became head coach in 2020. With 13 games, it was also the most he had played since making 13 starts in 2019. But Smith has started just 30 of the 67 regular-season games coached by McCarthy.
He has dealt with neck, back, knee, ankle, hamstring and elbow injuries. What helped Smith last year was a practice plan that saw him working off to the side on Wednesdays and Thursdays. He took part in all of the walk-through sessions. The end result was a second-team All-Pro selection after posting an 89.1% pass block win rate and a 78.8% run block win rate.
Smith made $11 million last season with $3 million in a signing bonus, $3 million in base salary and $5 million through play-time incentives after accepting a pay cut. In 2014, he signed an eight-year extension worth $98 million, a deal many viewed as a steal for the Cowboys.
Having missed 49 games since 2015 because of injury, coming to an agreement on price will be difficult and perhaps why the assumption is that he is unlikely to return. A team in need of a left tackle might be willing to pay more for Smith. But would Smith jump to a team that does not have a chance of winning a Super Bowl at this time in his career?
In some ways, Smith's path is mirroring the path DeMarcus Ware took after he was released in 2013. The Cowboys were worried injuries had begun to catch up to their all-time sack leader. Entering his 10th season, Ware was going to sign only with a true contender and landed with the Denver Broncos, winning a Super Bowl in 2015 with Peyton Manning & Co.
If the Cowboys and Smith aren't able to reach an agreement, offensive line is at the top of the draft list, whether they keep Tyler Smith at left guard or move him to left tackle. Also, center Tyler Biadasz is set to become a free agent.
It's considered a good draft class for offensive linemen, especially in the first round. A lot of the mock drafts have penciled in a left tackle or center to the Cowboys at No. 24 overall. It should be pointed out that the Cowboys have faith in interior linemen Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass, should they need to move into the starting lineup in 2024.
But would an offensive line without Tyron Smith actually be better than one with him?