Getty Tyron Smith
Dak Prescott will return to the Dallas Cowboys starting lineup sans his stalwart blindside blocker.
Left tackle Tyron Smith is likely to miss Sunday’s contest against the Denver Broncos as he deals with an ankle injury that is not considered overly severe, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy affirmed.
“Rest is part of it,” McCarthy said Thursday, per the official team website. “I think he’ll definitely be challenged this week but once we get past this, I’m not looking at this as a long-term injury at all.”
McCarthy said Thursday that Smith would be “pressed to play” in Week 9. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones previously disclosed the 30-year-old is suffering from bone spurs in his ankle, which he initially injured amid the team’s October 17 victory at New England.
“We’ll have to see how Tyron practices. They say it’s a spur. We should and will practice with alternatives to him being out there,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan, via the Dallas Morning News.
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Zeke Laments Smith’s Probable Absence
Following an injury-ruined 2020 campaign, the seven-time Pro Bowler has reclaimed his status among the league’s best linemen, grading out as Pro Football Focus’ second-highest-rated (92.9) OT out of 79 qualifiers.
With Smith paving the way, the Cowboys currently rank first overall in total offense (454.9 yards per game), second in rushing (152.0 YPG), and third in passing (302.9 YPG) and scoring (32.1 points per game).
Entering Week 9, Prescott remains a legitimate NFL MVP favorite while running back Ezekiel Elliott (571 ground yards) is pacing for his best statistical season since 2019. The latter recognizes how big of a loss — literally and figuratively — Smith would be.
“Look at him. He’s like an action figure. He’s built like an action figure, plays like a superhero,” Elliott said Wednesday, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “It’s hard to kind of fill a void like that.”
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Dallas’ Options to Replace Smith
McCarthy was coy when asked Wednesday about who would fill in for Smith, claiming, “[I would] rather Denver find out when they find out.” Those plans seem to have gone awry.
Prescott revealed Thursday that right tackle Terence Steele will move to the left side and Steele’s predecessor, La’el Collins, will man his natural position.
“So, La’el [Collins] back at right and [Terence] Steele moving over to left,” Prescott said, via 105.3 The Fan. “He did a little of that last year… he’ll make a big step and he is showing that he can do it from that side as well.”
Steele, too, confirmed that he’s preparing to start for Smith against the Von Miller-less Broncos, who traded the future Hall-of-Fame pass-rusher to the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday.
“I think it shows they have a lot of trust in me,” he said, via 105.3 The Fan. “Tyron is always giving me little nuggets here and there. … I wanted to go against [Miller]. That’s Von Miller. He’s a legend.”
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