Tyler Smith, a 2022 first-round pick, earned Pro Bowl nods in 2023 and 2024 after moving to guard
FRISCO, Texas — A passing of the torch occurred Wednesday afternoon at The Star, the team facility of the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys re-signed eight-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith to a one-day contract in order for him to retire with Dallas, his home for 13 of his 14 NFL seasons (2011-2024). For years, Dallas boasted two future Hall of Famers on their offensive line with Smith at left tackle and seven-time first-team All-Pro Zack Martin at right guard.
And they both pointed to a current Cowboy as their successor as the next great Dallas offensive lineman: Tyler Smith. The younger Smith was the team’s first-round pick at No. 24 in 2022. And after settling in at left guard starting in 2023, he’s earned consecutive Pro Bowl nods.
“Tyler Smith, my new right-hand man who I know will go down as one of the greatest,” Tyron Smith said Wednesday at his retirement press conference when thanking his teammates. “I feel like Tyler came in and set the standard that he wants to be great when he first got here, and he has. Just increasing potential every year, and it’s just his work ethic and what he puts into this game and how dominant is on the field. It just shows every year that he is getting better. He has potential to be one of the greats, and I just can’t wait to see that show.”
Both Martin and Tyler Smith were among those in attendance at Tyron Smith’s retirement presser on Thursday, and Martin echoed the elder Smith’s comments about the younger Smith.
“Just like what Tyron said, he’s got freaky ability, and he’s a dominant player,” Martin said. “Obviously, he’s got to continue to keep developing, but if he continues to work the way he’s worked since he’s been here, I don’t see that being a problem. I just see him getting better and better every single year.”
Martin recognized Tyler Smith’s potential back in his rookie year in 2022 when he lined up at tackle when Tyron Smith missed 13 games with a hamstring injury. Since the younger Smith settled in at left guard, he has only allowed three sacks across the last two seasons. That’s tied for the ninth-fewest in the NFL among 97 offensive linemen who have played at least 1,500 offensive snaps during that span.
If Tyler Smith can maintain that caliber of play, he could join Smith and Martin among the all-time great offensive linemen in Cowboys history.
“I think his first year when he played tackle, you could see kind of uncommon traits that he had,” Martin said. “But in that second year when he kicked to guard, he was very dominant. It was like, ‘OK, this guy’s going to be really good for a long time.'”
