Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on during practice.
The Dallas Cowboys are facing a tight squeeze at one of the most important positions on the roster, and a former Kansas City Chiefs star may be the answer.
The Cowboys received unfortunate news on August 25 when ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that star left tackle Tyron Smith would be out “indefinitely” due to a major hamstring injury. ESPN’s Todd Archer then revealed that, “Tyron Smith’s surgery for Friday [August 26] is to re-attach the hamstring to the knee. Looking at a 3-4 month recovery.”
Now, Dallas has to find a solution at an area that was already considered shallow in terms of depth. A new article from the team’s official site, DallasCowboys.com, suggests that the answer could be the former No. 1 overall pick.
“The most notable name in free agency is former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher, a nine-year veteran who played his first eight seasons with the Chiefs and started 15 games for the Colts last year but has battled injuries, including an Achilles tear at the end of the 2020 season,” the article reads. “Other names to consider would be long-time Eagles standout Jason Peters and Marcus Cannon, a veteran who has played with the Patriots and Texans.”
Heavy recently explored the idea of Dallas signing Fisher to a deal, but now the team’s official website has acknowledged it as a legitimate possibility. There’s an obvious reason to pursue Fisher, but Dallas should also make sure it’s the right fit.
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Fisher on the Move
The Chiefs turned heads when they selected Fisher with the first overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. Fisher was coming out of Central Michigan and was considered to be a serious talent, but offensive tackles hardly become household names until deep in their career.
It didn’t help that Fisher initially struggled, but Kansas City were committed to the tackle and he paid dividends. As Pro Football Reference shows, Fisher started 113 games for the Chiefs and played through a second contract and earned two Pro Bowl honors in 2018 and 2020.
Kansas City and the player then parted ways, leading to his sole season with the Indianapolis Colts. Fisher earned $8.4 million on his deal last year per Spotrac, which is where he may not work as a fit for the Cowboys.
Jerry Jones Backs Cowboys Rookie
Fisher would be an expensive stop-gap for Dallas, and they now don’t have bargaining leverage with Smith out. But adding a player externally isn’t the primary plan for owner Jerry Jones, as he is backing the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick, Tyler Smith.
“It’s a big disappointment, none moreso than for Tyron himself,” Jones said on ESPN. “But our game really is that and hello Tyler Smith. He’ll be an important part of this puzzle, our No. 1 draft pick.”
As Archer highlighted on Twitter, Jones did say the team is “giving thought” to the idea of a free agency or trade addition, but it’s clear the team will rely on Smith in some fashion.
That being said, Smith has almost exclusively taken snaps at guard during training camp and OTAs, and seeing how he does on the edge will be crucial in Dallas’ upcoming preseason game.