Cowboys free agents 2024: Tyron Smith is a big question for Dallas
The Cowboys have a decision to make at left tackle this offseason.
With the Dallas Cowboys offseason upon us, it’s time to start looking forward to the 2024 season. One of the big items of roster building will be one of the first, free agency. The Cowboys have a list of free agents and we’ll be looking at each one in this series.
Right near the top of that list is left tackle Tyron Smith. He has spent his entire career with Dallas and could be headed for induction into the Hall of Fame. But the question is will that countdown start this offseason with a retirement, or will the Cowboys reach a deal and bring him back for another year?
Much of this decision is likely in Smith’s hands. After playing with Dallas for 13 years, it’s unlikely he would leave for another franchise. The money might not even be that big of an issue considering how little Smith has cared about maximizing his earnings with Dallas. He’s been on team-friendly deals his whole career.
Injuries are, of course, the biggest issue with Smith. When he is healthy, he is still in the elite category, garnering second-team All-Pro honors for 2023. And the practice-management schedule the Cowboys had him on for much of last season paid off with one of his best seasons in a while.
Here’s Mike McCarthy on Smith.
“I think the biggest thing for Tyron is, you know, we talked about the path of his season and the training plan that was in place for him,” McCarthy told reporters when asked about his conversations with Smith. “This is clearly his best season that I’ve experienced with him since 2020. So, he felt really good about that.”
“Just the fact that he’s not going into the offseason with any big postseason surgeries is a real plus,” McCarthy said. “But we’ll continue to talk moving forward.”
The Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith to replace Tyron, but Tyler has turned into a plus-tier guard and the two make a formidable pair. The Cowboys will also be dealing with the free agency of Tyler Biadasz along the line. They also might have a serviceable player in T.J. Bass who could play guard if needed.
Here is PFF’s take. They have Smith ranked as the 14th best free agent.
14. T TYRON SMITH, DALLAS COWBOYS
When Tyron Smith is healthy, he is an impenetrable brick wall as a blindside protector, no matter the matchup. Smith playing through nearly the entirety of his eight-year extension signed in 2014 is something we will probably never see again, and he provided enormous surplus value to Dallas despite the time he missed here and there.
After agreeing to a revised one-year deal worth $6 million for 2023, Smith outplayed that deal once again. Perhaps he is more focused on remaining a career Cowboy and chasing a Lombardi Trophy, a la Andrew Whitworth with the Los Angeles Rams, but he deserves a solid payday if he wants to pursue one.
The guys over at ESPN commented on this subject.
Under-the-radar offseason priority: Figure out what to do with Tyron Smith, whose contract is up. The left tackle missed time this season, but the Cowboys don’t have a left tackle ready to take over. Keeping Smith on a cost-wise contract and drafting another tackle early might be the best option. — Todd Archer
Latest on whether they will re-sign offensive tackle Tyron Smith: Smith’s contract voids at the end of this season. He’s 33 years old and has battled injuries for several years, and the Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith in the first round in 2022 with the thought of him eventually replacing him. It’s entirely possible we just saw the final weeks of an outstanding 13-year Cowboys career. — Graziano
In an ideal world, Smith would return for another season, on another team-friendly, one-year deal as the Cowboys gear up for another run at a conference championship game/Super Bowl. It’s clear Smith can still play at a very high level.
Smith’s return would allow the Cowboys to keep Tyler at guard for another year while they draft a possible left tackle of the future.
What’s your call BTB? Will Smith return or retire?
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