The Dallas Cowboys release of Tyron Smith gives the Pittsburgh Steelers the answer they need at RT

The NFL Combine may be the marquee event on the NFL calendar right now, but the NFL's feeding frenzy is on the horizon.  We are a week and some change away from the legal tampering period, where the league's top free agent's will be free to negotiate with teams.  But before Saturday, Tyron Smith wasn't […]

Rob Gregson NFL News Writer
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Nov 13, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) blocks at the line of scrimmage against Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Jarvis Jones (95) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. The Cowboys won 35-30. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Combine may be the marquee event on the NFL calendar right now, but the NFL's feeding frenzy is on the horizon. 

We are a week and some change away from the legal tampering period, where the league's top free agent's will be free to negotiate with teams. 

But before Saturday, Tyron Smith wasn't on anyone's radar given his contract status with the Dallas Cowboys. 

That has now changed:

Cowboys Release Tyron Smith

But back to the Cowboys' so-called all-in season… Yeah, this team doesn't even know who will be Dak Prescott's blindside protector in 2024 following this decision. When Jones explained what he meant by going all-in, he specifically mentioned paying the team's players. For some inexplainable reason other than being cheap, that doesn't include the offensive tackle that earned Second-Team All-Pro honors last season and that graded as the top pass-protecting tackle in the NFL, per PFF 
Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Dallas

Now, Smith may have recently turned 33, but that's still relatively young given the position he plays. Sure he's been through multiple injuries, but he's coimg off his most durable season in five years and was named a second-team All-Pro. 

And you can say that Dallas is making a smart financial decision, but Smith only carries a dead money cap charge slightly north of $6 million, so it's not as if he's opening up tons of funds. 

Either way, Pittsburgh doesn't need to why it happened. All that matters is Smith is free to sign elsewhere and would be an immediate upgrade at tackle in Pittsburgh. 

He would also allow last year's first-round pick, Broderick Jones, to get back to his natural position on the left side, something GM Omar Khan stressed as being important at the NFL Combine this week.