Just yesterday, I wrote about why I expected the Dallas Cowboys to elevate practice squad offensive lineman Nick Leverett to the gameday roster come the weekend. The Cowboys are doing us one better. 

The Cowboys confirmed what many expected by signing Leverett to the 53-man roster. The move (reported by ESPN’s Todd Archer) comes on the heels of starting left guard Tyler Smith landing on injured reserve with a thumb injury, leaving Dallas scrambling for offensive line depth heading into the regular season.

Smith had surgery on Tuesday, according to Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, and is projected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. That timeline pushes top backup offensive lineman T.J. Bass into the starting lineup at left guard but leaves the Cowboys thin along the interior. As a result, Leverett’s promotion from the practice squad was all but inevitable.

Leverett’s path back to the 53-man roster

For those who followed roster cutdown day, Leverett missing the cut came as a surprise. He played well at center during the preseason and seemed like a lock to make the team as the Cowboys’ backup at the position. Instead, Dallas chose to keep only Bass, who had been getting reps at center during the preseason and training camp. That positioned Bass to serve as the lone backup across all three interior offensive line spots, then found a way to sneak Leverett onto the practice squad.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys are in need of inserting Bass into the starting lineup right away, raising a need for additional depth going into Week 1. 

The signing makes sense beyond the short term, too. Practice squad players receive a maximum of three game-day roster elevations per season. With Smith projected to miss 4 to 6 weeks, Leverett would have exhausted those elevations before Smith returned from injured reserve. Signing him to the 53 now avoids that logistical problem entirely.

What the Cowboys’ offensive line looks like now

Dallas is expected to start, from left to right: offensive tackle Tyler Guyton, Bass filling in for Smith at left guard, Cooper Beebe at center, Tyler Booker at right guard, and Terence Steele at right tackle.

On game days, the backup plan should look something like this: Leverett projects as the swing guard and center option. Ajani Cornelius, who made the 53-man roster, could also serve as a backup guard. And Broderick Jones, whom the Cowboys recently acquired by trading a 3rd-round pick and a 6th-round pick in exchange for Jones and a 4th-round pick, is likely the backup tackle at both spots. 

Jones’ presence at backup tackle remains somewhat of a concern, particularly if he’s asked to play on the left side. Jones said upon his arrival at The Star that he struggled in Pittsburgh largely because of being moved from one spot to another. 

The Leverett signing brings the Cowboys back to 53 players after placing Smith on injured reserve. The Cowboys are filling their practice squad by signing veteran lineman Laken Tomlinson.