Tyron Smith doesn’t want his time with the Dallas Cowboys to end just yet.
Smith, who is the longest-tenured player on the Cowboys, is set to become a free agent this spring. The offensive lineman isn’t considering retirement just yet, and is now searching for a new deal to remain with the Cowboys in 2024, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins.
Smith is undoubtedly one of the better offensive tackles in the league. He’s been a mainstay with the Cowboys since the team selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in 2011 out of USC.
The issue, though, is that Smith has been injured almost constantly in recent years. Smith has missed 23 games over the past three seasons with various injuries. He missed four games with knee, back and neck issues last season, and missed all but four in the 2022 campaign after he tore his hamstring in training camp that year. In fact, Smith hasn’t played a full season for the Cowboys since 2015.
The Cowboys also seemingly have a replacement for Smith waiting in the wings. The Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he’s started all but three games on the offensive line over the last two seasons. In theory, Tyler would move to left tackle when Tyron’s contract ends.
Tyron Smith, the longest-tenured player in Dallas, has been battling injuries consistently over the past several seasons. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Tyron Smith, 33, signed an eight-year, nearly $100 million extension with the Cowboys in 2016. It’s unclear how far along his team and the Cowboys are on a possible new contract, or if they have even started those conversations at this point. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, however, ended the season earlier this year very happy about the place he was at with Smith.
“I think the biggest thing for Tyron is, talking about the path of the season and the training plan that was in place for him, this is clearly his best season that I have experienced with him since 2020,” McCarthy said last month, via The Dallas Morning News. “So, he felt good about that. I think the fact that he’s not going into the offseason with offseason surgeries is a plus. We’ll continue to talk as we move forward.”
Whether that leads to another contract, however, remains to be seen.
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