Getty Tyron Smith's future with the Dallas Cowboys remains uncertain.
The Dallas Cowboys may need to consider moving on from one of the team’s legends with the franchise receiving pressure to explore a possible trade for two-time All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put together three “shocking trade ideas” for Dallas to pursue ahead of the upcoming season with Smith among the potential moves.
“Trading longtime offensive tackle Tyron Smith might not be a popular idea,” Ballentine wrote on May 24, 2023. “He’s been a Cowboy for the entirety of his 12-year NFL career.
“However, his value isn’t likely to get any higher than it is right now. Injuries have severely limited the 32-year-old in the back half of his career. He has played 13 games or fewer in every season going back to 2016, and players typically don’t get more durable after they turn 30. …If other teams come calling about Smith, the Cowboys should at least be willing listeners.”
Tyron Smith has 1 Season Remaining on a Massive 8-Year, $97 Million Contract
This is a fair idea, but it is hard to imagine Smith has massive trade value. Consider that Smith has missed significant time in seven straight seasons and played a combined 15 games over the last two years. The last time Smith was at full health was in 2016 which would likely prevent Dallas from landing anything of significance in a possible trade for the veteran.
The one advantage of keeping Smith is the eight-time Pro Bowler restructured his eight-year, $97 million contract to make the deal more team-friendly. Smith now has a $3 million salary in 2023 and will be a free agent in 2024. Given an opposing team is unlikely to give up a significant asset for a possible one-year rental, the Cowboys would be wise to keep Smith for an additional season.
Tyron Smith Would Have Retired If Cut by Dallas, Says Ex-Cowboys Scout
It remains to be seen how the starting offensive line rotation will play out. There is some debate as to whether Tyler Smith will start at left tackle over the older Smith. Both are expected to start along with Zack Martin, Terence Steele and Tyler Biadasz, but it will be up to head coach Mike McCarthy to decide the specific positons for the five offensive linemen.
Prior to Smith agreeing to a restructured deal with the Cowboys, the former Pro Bowler was being mentioned as a potential cap casualty this offseason. Former Dallas scout Bryan Broaddus noted at the time that Smith would likely retire rather than sign with another team if he was released. The same could be true if the Cowboys attempted to move the star which would essentially make his trade value a zero.
“I tell you what, there’s a side of me that believes and this is because it’s been reported to me, that if they were to trade or to cut Tyron Smith, he would be done,” Broaddus explained during a February 12 episode of the “Love of the Star” podcast. “He would just retire. If they were to trade him or cut him, he would just quit.”