Cowboys' tackle depth further complicated by Tyler Smith injury

By David Helman
FOX Sports Dallas Cowboys Writer

FRISCO, Texas – Even the Cowboys' worst-case scenario comes with some bad luck. 

Tyron Smith is scheduled for surgery after suffering an avulsion fracture to his knee in practice. That much we know. 

What remains to be seen, and what everyone is desperate to know, is what the team plans to do about it. The early indicator, from the head honcho himself, is that the Cowboys will look to their own roster for a new left tackle. 

"We want to look from within, and that's the smartest and logical way," said team owner and general manager Jerry Jones. "The biggest thing is Tyron will be back, in my view, for the playoffs and the games preceding the playoffs. This gives us a chance to get a lot of reps. We've got to learn to play with these young guys." 

The chief young guy in question is first-round pick Tyler Smith, and that's where the bad luck comes into play. The 21-year-old played left tackle during his college career at Tulsa, and it stands to reason that the Cowboys could give him a look at his old position in Friday's preseason game against Seattle — if he were healthy. 

Tyler Smith tweaked his ankle last weekend and won't play Friday. He also spent the entirety of training camp playing left guard — in an effort to get him onto the field at the same time as Tyron Smith. So if Tyler Smith is going to make the shift to left tackle in time for the season opener, it's going to come quickly and with no game reps. 

To his credit, the rookie is up for the challenge. He said he hasn't yet talked with anyone about making the move, but he's willing to do it if needed. 

"I knew as soon as I put my name on that piece of paper I would be held to a certain standard, I would be required to give certain parts of myself to it," Smith said. "I'm ready for whatever comes ahead, and we're going to approach it day by day." 

This game against the Seahawks won't afford any looks at the first-round pick, but there's other evaluation that can be done. Third tackle Josh Ball is going to play plenty, as will veteran Aviante Collins. Rookie tackle Matt Waletzko practiced this week, but it's unclear if he's healthy enough to play in this game after missing most of training camp with a shoulder injury. 

It'd go a long way toward improving the situation if one of those guys can ball out on Friday. Even if not, Tyler Smith said his ankle shouldn't hold him out for very long. 

Is that good enough? The Cowboys seem to hope so. But just remember: They reserve the right to change their minds. 

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports, providing insight and analysis on the NFL’s most visible franchise. Prior to joining FOX, David spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website, DallasCowboys.com. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State.