The Dallas Cowboys players, coaches, and, most importantly, fans are clamoring to see some resemblance of football.
For now, training camp, which begins on July 26th in Oxnard, California, will have to do.
One of the areas of focus for Dallas is going to be where the dominoes land for the offensive line.
There will be questions that require answers and may dictate the season’s success.
The questions swirling around Terence Steele, his health, and the position he will ultimately play will lead the way.
Can Tyron Smith stay healthy enough to play left tackle or right tackle?
Should the Dallas Cowboys save him from himself and designate him the swing tackle? Dallas restructured his contract, where playing time will be more crucial than ever.
The focus for this offseason should be on deciding the position of the youngest player from last year’s active roster.
Determining where Tyler Smith plays is critical now and into the future.
During a recent interview, Tyler Smith stressed the importance of staying ready to play either position on the left side of the line.
Hearing such eagerness and willingness to contribute from a young player is refreshing.
Dallas will need that same energy from all its players to reach the goal that has escaped them for 28 years.
Smith is highly athletic for his size with unbelievable strength. It’s easy to want to plug him at left tackle for the next ten years and don’t look back.
Left tackles protect the blindside of your quarterback. It’s typically a no-brainer for most head coaches.
However, coaches get paid the big bucks to assess and decide what’s best for the team.
It is up to Mike McCarthy and newly hired Offensive Line Coach Mike Solari to decide if Smith should play as a guard or a tackle.
Pro Football Focus graded him a 72.4 in run sets versus 64.2 against the pass rush.
At this point in his young career, he is much better at moving people forward than dropping backward.
There was one play from the divisional round against the 49ers that I can’t stop thinking about.
Not a lot to be excited about in that game, but this stayed with me.
The young tackle got upfield and could take an angle and get his hands on Fred Warner, moving him 10 yards in the wrong direction.
Go back and watch the tape; that was truly impressive.
Dallas has an exciting opportunity in front of them.
Tyler was an outstanding tackle last year.
He could be the best one on the roster.
McCarthy has spread the narrative that they will run the ball more and play complimentary football.
Call me crazy, but the best way to establish a running game is through the interior of your line.
Tyler Biadasz is a good center. Zack Martin is a future Hall of Fame right guard.
Adding the last piece of that trio at left guard will further anchor the running game.
All quarterbacks, not just Tom Brady, hate having pressure directly in their faces.
I want to point to exhibit A, which was the game in 2021 versus the Kansas City Chiefs.
It was a winnable game for Dallas until Steve Spagnuolo moved Chris Jones across the line to wreak havoc that faithful Sunday.
Dak had his former Mississippi State teammate in and around him the entire game.
I am confident that Tyler could have held his own in that matchup.
All of that is well and good but Tyron Smith has to stay healthy for this to work.
Since the 2017 season, Tyron has not played an entire football season.
Depending on him to play an entire season may be unrealistic, but Tyler may get stuck on that island if it’s the same story.
Tyron’s play last season at right tackle could have been better, but he could hold up in Steele’s absence.
One could argue that the combination of the two Smiths on the left side creates an exceptionally physically fit offensive line.
We know Tyron isn’t who he used to be.
However, on the left side, he may be enough to let Tyler flourish at guard when healthy.
The coach’s job is to put the best five linemen on the field together. At least, that’s what they tell us.
If so, we may see younger Smith bloom into something special.
