Smith Goes on IR, and Dallas Has No Easy Answer at Guard

Tyler Smith is on injured reserve, and the Cowboys are now piecing together an offensive line days before the season opens. He joins Matt Hennessy, who has been on IR since mid-July, meaning Dallas has lost two interior linemen before a game has been played. That is not a depth problem anymore. It is a starting-lineup problem.

The depth chart lists Laken Tomlinson as the top option at the position, with Wanya Morris and T.J. Bass behind him — neither of whom logged meaningful snaps in 2025. Princeton Fant remains questionable after being carted off during camp. The Cowboys were already thin here coming out of last season, and the roster has not gotten healthier since Oxnard opened.

What makes this harder is the context around it. Dak Prescott threw for over 4,500 yards last season behind a line that was functional. Javonte Williams ran for over 1,200 yards. That production does not happen with a patchwork front. The line was the quiet foundation of whatever the offense managed to build in 2025, and right now that foundation has a couple of visible cracks in it heading into Week 1.

My read is that the Cowboys need to look outside the building. Whether that means a veteran free agent or a trade, the current options on the roster do not inspire much confidence. The front office has been busy with contract extensions all camp — Quinnen Williams, the Big Three — but the most urgent call right now might be a simpler one: find a guard who has actually played.