On one hand, the Dallas Cowboys suffered a gutting loss just six days before opening night. On the other hand, football is a war of attrition; they were never going to get through the season fully healthy. And Tyler Smith should still be available for the majority of the season.
Brian Schottneheimer announced that Smith will undergo thumb surgery on Tuesday and miss the next 4-6 weeks. It's a ligament injury that bothered Smith for most of training camp, which makes you wonder why the Cowboys didn't get it taken care of a month ago.
That question isn't going away, but neither is the season. In the meantime, T.J. Bass has a golden opportunity to prove why he's the highest-paid backup on the roster and carries the 10th-highest cap hit on the team.
Knee-jerk reactions are part of reckoning with a big injury, so let's dive into some takeaways from the Smith news and what it means for the Cowboys moving forward.
3 instant reactions to the Cowboys' devastating Tyler Smith injury
1. Expect Tyler Smith to return in Week 6
The Cowboys announced a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks, which leaves the door open for Smith to return as soon as Week 5. However, the following week is much more realistic.
After all, Dallas plays Tampa Bay on Thursday night in Week 5. Would you rather Smith return on a short week or after a mini-bye? That's an easy one.
The Cowboys will have 10 days to regroup before visiting the Packers at Lambeau Field the following Sunday. Giving Smith that extra time to recover feels like a much safer bet than having him back against the Buccaneers.
Assuming a Week 6 return, here's a look at the games Smith would miss:
- Week 1: at NY Giants
- Week 2: vs. Washington Commanders
- Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens (Brazil)
- Week 4: at Houston Texans
- Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If the Cowboys are the team they think they are, they should emerge from that stretch no worse than 3-2. They should handle business against the Giants and Commanders and should be able to pick off at least one of the Ravens, Texans, or Buccaneers.
2. Keeping T.J. Bass looks really smart
The Cowboys hardly deserve a round of applause for retaining one of the best backup offensive linemen in the NFL. But boy, does it look really smart in hindsight.
A restricted free agent this offseason, Bass received a second-round tender from the Cowboys, all but assuring he'd stick around.
Another team could have signed him to an offer sheet, but if Dallas declined to match, it would've owed the Cowboys a second-round pick as compensation. It really is a cheat code for keeping a valuable young player without committing to a long-term deal.
Fortunately for Dallas, Bass has started 10 games in three seasons, including five last year while the team navigated injuries to right guard Tyler Booker and center Cooper Beebe. He looked pretty good in those five starts, allowing just four pressures, zero sacks, and zero quarterback hits to go with a 99.0 pass-blocking efficiency, per Pro Football Focus.
Three of those starts came at left guard, where Bass already has 490 snaps under his belt. Imagine how you'd feel about the injury if Dallas let him out of the building.
3. Welcome to the show, Nick Leverett
The Cowboys will call up multiple players from the practice squad early in the season. Nick Leverett makes a ton of sense as a promotion this week and potentially beyond.
Leverett worked at both center and guard this summer and looked comfortable in both positions in the preseason.
On 151 snaps (119 at center, 32 at right guard), the sixth-year pro conceded just one sack and two pressures, per PFF. He also brought a nasty demeanor in the run game, finishing with a 70.9 run-blocking grade that ranked 11th among centers and guards who logged at least 120 snaps.
With T.J. Bass filling the void at LG, Leverett may step in as the backup center behind Beebe and the team's emergency option at guard alongside Ajani Cornelius. It may not be long before Leverett is signed to the active roster, which is required after three practice squad elevations.
Add us as a preferred source on Google