I like the idea of losing a guard and adding a veteran guard such as Will Hernandez. After we all heard the news, Tyler Smith is headed to injured reserve. The Cowboys are already testing their offensive line depth before the season even gets going.
T.J. Bass will get the first shot at left guard, and why wouldn’t he get the chance? Dallas has been developing him for moments like this, and Brian Schottenheimer has already made it clear they trust him.
What scares me a little is what happens after Bass and I think this is where Will Hernadez comes in.
Dallas Needs More Than T.J. Bass and Hope
I like T.J. Bass and feel that he will be just fine filling in for Tyler Smith. Will he have the same impact as Smith? “No.” Who in the NFL would perfectly replace Tyler Smith? Not many.
I cannot sugarcoat this part. Will Hernandez wasn’t good last season, he had a 45.3 PFF grade, 19 pressures, two sacks, and two penalties.
This is not a player that is going to walk into Dallas and take Bass’ job. That’s not the point I’m trying to make. The point is, Will Hernandez has played more than 100 NFL games, has started at left and right guard and has been around long enough to know what’s going on.
I would like to have a veteran who knows the calls, understands the assignments, and has seen about every defensive front a team can throw at him. Sometimes that is exactly what you need when injuries start to pile up.
Will Hernandez Brings Attitude
This is the other part I like about Will Hernandez. He plays angry.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon has called him “mean and nasty,” and former teammate Justin Pugh called him the enforcer on the offensive line.
All of that fits what Will Hernandez brings to a team.
Hernandez is aggressive, he wants to finish blocks. I love having a guy on a team that doesn’t mind putting a defender on the ground and making sure the guy remembers the next play.
Having that attitude around the Cowboys offensive line would be great, even though Tyler Booker is probably already in that headspace.
But when your best offensive lineman goes down, bringing in a veteran who plays with an edge isn’t the worst idea. Especially if he can still move, and that may be the biggest question mark for Will Hernandez.
The Medical Side
Will Hernandez tore his ACL in 2024, didn’t make it back until week 5 of last season and then wound up on injured reserve again with a hip injury. The hip injury may also explain his blocking grades.
So, there are reasons he is still available. Dallas would need to get him in the building and figure out where he is physically before doing anything else.
Maybe he looks bad. The knee and hip could have taken a lot from the big guy, but at least you would know.
If he can still give Dallas decent snaps in an emergency, now you’ve got a veteran guard who knows what he’s doing and brings a little attitude with him too.
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