Dallas Cowboys announce a decision that could snowball into unexpected All-Pro contract drama in 2026
The Dallas Cowboys are moving Tyler Smith to left tackle for the remainder of the 2025 season.
Dallas Cowboys fans might have been surprised when they saw second-team All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith line up at left tackle on Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Though the position is not unknown for Smith as a Cowboy—he played there as a rookie to fill in for an injured Tyron Smith—he had not played there all year long. Well, after a strong showing over the weekend, you can expect to see him there to close out the season.
Schottenheimer announces change is permanent for this season
There’s not a lot left to go in the 2025 season, but the Cowboys head coach told reporters postgame the plan was for Smith to stay at left tackle for the last two games of the year. Though it remains unclear what the team’s endgame is with such a move, at minimum, the decision is indicative of interest on Smith staying there beyond the 2025 season.
After all, the Cowboys don’t have proven answers at offensive tackle going into 2026. Former first-round pick Tyler Guyton has missed five games this season, and his play already had ups and downs when healthy. Meanwhile, right tackle Terence Steele’s play is unlikely to keep him in Dallas next year with a pending $18M cap hit.
With so many question marks at the position, Smith might provide the right type of uncertainty. Is it worth it moving your best offensive lineman to a position he might not be as great in, yet one that is much more important to keep your QB safe? Is it worth risking Smith’s development by making the switch? This is what the Cowboys are trying to figure out.
Tyler Smith moving could cause contract drama
Though Smith is up to do whatever the team needs him to do, he understands this is a business. In the offseason, he became the highest-paid guard in the NFL at $24 million per year. The only problem? The highest-paid tackle in football makes $28.5 million a year.
Could the difference lead to Smith demanding more? If so, it could be a little bit of unexpected drama. Though the difference wouldn’t be massive, disagreements on positions are commonplace in the NFL.
“Ultimately, I’m going to do what’s best for the team,” Smith said postgame. “Also, I’m a smart player. I understand who I am, where I am, and ultimately what I’m getting paid to do. So I’m going to be smart, we’ll have those conversations when we have those conversations.”
Smith admitted he takes a lot of pride on his versatility, and he is open to playing whichever position he’s asked to.
Keeping Dak Prescott clean is a must
With only two more games left to be played, the Cowboys have only one more chance to get a win streak going, which would be only their second of the season. If Dallas is going to play to win, they need to ensure they can keep Dak healthy. Moving Smith to tackle yielded results on Sunday, as Prescott was sacked once and hit only three times.
Dallas Cowboys News
The telling George Pickens play that we should really be talking about from Cowboys’ loss to Chargers
GP3 keeps finding ways to send a message.
