The Washington Commanders have already caught a break for Week 2, and they didn’t have to do a thing to earn it.
Dallas guard Tyler Smith is headed for surgery on his left thumb, and ESPN beat reporter Todd Archer reported that the injury will send him to injured reserve. That keeps him out for the first four games of the season, including the Cowboys’ matchup with Washington at AT&T Stadium.
Smith has been dealing with the thumb issue for a while, and Dallas has decided to get it fixed before it gets worse. T.J. Bass is expected to step into the lineup in his place, but that still leaves the Cowboys taking a clear step back up front.
For Washington, that matters. Smith is one of the league’s most productive young guards, and losing a player like that gives defensive coordinator Daronte Jones a spot to attack in Dallas’ protection.
It doesn’t change the whole picture, and it doesn’t suddenly make the Commanders favorites. But in a game that figures to come down to small edges, this is the kind of opening teams can’t ignore.
The Commanders still have plenty to sort out if they want to steal one from a division rival on the road. Dallas can score in bunches, and Washington’s defense will still have its hands full trying to slow an offense that can light up the scoreboard quickly. Even so, Jones is now working with a defense that has added intriguing pieces at all three levels, and that gives Washington at least some reason to believe it can hang around.
The front seven will need to do the heavy lifting. Daron Payne, Javon Kinlaw, and Tim Settle Jr. are expected to anchor Jones’ 3-4 front by taking on blockers, eating up double teams, and still finding ways to make plays. If they can hold up, it opens the door for the inside and outside linebackers to create problems, and Jones’ first shot as an NFL play-caller could be helped by a scheme built to get the most out of what he has.
Smith’s absence won’t dominate the conversation once the game kicks off. Interior offensive linemen rarely do, especially in Dallas. But if Washington can make Bass look like the weak point, that pressure could start to spread to other areas of the Cowboys’ offense.
Dallas will still walk into the matchup confident. The offense has enough firepower to pile up points fast, and the defense may be better after some notable offseason additions. Still, the Commanders just got a real opening, and in a game like this, that can be enough to change the shape of the night.
In Other News...
Cowboys Suddenly Have A Joe Milton Problem They Cant Ignore
Sam Darnolds early exit in Seattles opener instantly turned a backup situation into a storyline worth watching, but it also put a familiar name back into circulation around the league. Joe Milton III, who is on the Cowboys practice squad, has already made himself interesting enough this summer to draw outside attention, thanks to the way he flashed in preseason action and reminded teams around the NFL that a high-upside quarterback can quickly become a talking point.
For Dallas, that is where the discomfort begins. The Seahawks are expected to stay the course with their current quarterbacks, and Darnolds hip injury is not expected to send him to injured reserve, but any quarterback injury in September tends to sharpen the market for depth. If another team decides it needs a live arm, the Cowboys could suddenly find themselves in the position every front office tries to avoid: protecting a developmental quarterback who has become more visible than they probably wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Fans Should Be Watching What The Raiders Just Did
The Raiders have quietly created a little more room to maneuver by restructuring the contracts of Quay Walker and Jalen Nailor, opening up $8.2 million in cap space and pushing their total cushion to just over $11 million. For Dallas, that kind of financial flexibility is worth watching because it gives Las Vegas the ability to absorb salary in a trade, which is exactly the sort of move that can change the conversation around a roster in a hurry.
For the Cowboys, the name that hangs over this is Maxx Crosby, a player whose future has long drawn attention whenever the Raiders gain cap breathing room. Las Vegas could still decide to use the space elsewhere, whether on free agents or by rolling it into next season, but the restructure does at least keep the door open for something bigger, and that is the part Dallas fans will want to monitor closely. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Suddenly Have A New Running Back Depth Concern
The Cowboys left practice with a fresh concern in the backfield after Malik Davis had to be carted off the field during the teams final workout of the week. Dallas has been able to lean on its running back depth throughout camp, but any injury at this point of the week gets attention fast, especially for a player whose role can shift quickly depending on health and game plan.
The team has other backs on the roster and practice squad who could be asked to handle the load if Davis is not available, but the bigger issue now is simply waiting to learn what happened. His status for the upcoming game is unclear, and until the Cowboys get more information, they will have one more spot in the offense to monitor closely. [Read more 🡒]