The Cowboys may be getting a major lift on Thursday night, and it starts with Tyler Smith. Jerry Jones said the All-Pro guard is in position to play against the Tampa Buccaneers, but the final call comes down to how that surgically repaired right hand holds up once the game starts.
Jones broke it down on 105.3 The Fan, stressing that Smith’s comfort level with the hand will decide everything.
“How he feels about that hand,” Jones said of what Smith would need to determine. “Now that’s a big deal, that hand. And we all understand it in an offensive lineman boy, he’s got a punch, and I mean that thumb or that hand has to really be ready to take a beating out there because without it, you can’t do much.”
Jones made it clear Smith is ready in the football sense, but the final hurdle is mental and physical trust in the injury.
“But it’s up to him. He’ll have a feel for it.
He’ll have a feel as the game is going. He’ll see if he’s reluctant in any way because of the mental aspects of it, but he’s ready to play.
He can play, and I mean play at that level that we’re used to see him right now. We’ll just let him feel it out and see if he wants to go.”
Dallas would love to have him back in the lineup, especially with the offense facing a Buccaneers defense that likes to bring pressure. That approach could actually play into Dak Prescott’s hands, since the Bucs are loading up on blitzes without getting much return in the pressure column. They’re last in the league in pressure rate despite the heavy blitz volume, and Prescott has already shown he can handle that look.
That’s not just theory, either. In the 2022-2023 playoffs, Tampa Bay blitzed on 35% of Prescott’s dropbacks. He responded by completing nine of 12 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.
While the attention is on Smith’s possible return, Tyler Guyton has quietly turned his own season around at left tackle. His development was questioned in training camp, but that conversation has changed fast. One play against the Texans last week helped drive that point home, and now the Cowboys head into Thursday night with no real concern about the left tackle spot.
Dallas also received its latest injury update before the NFC matchup. Cornerback Cobie Durant, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and offensive tackle Drew Shelton are all out. Durant and Overshown are expected to be closer to a return for Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers, while Shelton is considered “week to week” after hurting his hamstring in Week 4, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
There is at least some good news on the quick turnaround front. The Cowboys are playing their third game in 11 days, and Schottenheimer acknowledged the team is “tired” and “sore” after the stretch that included the trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But defensive tackle Quinnen Williams isn’t feeling that drag himself.
“I’m not tired,” Williams said. “I love football, I look more forward to the opportunity and getting a chance to play again, get to play at prime time against a great team, against Todd Bowles. It’s an amazing opportunity for us.”
And as for Dallas’ roster overall, Jones said he remains open to more moves if the right one comes along. The Cowboys may already be getting healthier, but the door to another trade is still open.
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