Tyron Smith has regained form, but can he stay healthy for the Cowboys?
Since the day the Cowboys drafted Tyron Smith in the first round of the 2011 draft, he’s been a dominant force on the offensive line. During his 12-year career, the 6-foot-5, 320-pound behemoth from USC became an eight-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. He was named to the All-2010s team and is considered by many as a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame one day.
Understandably, as the milage piled up, injuries began to take their toll. Smith hasn’t played more than 13-games in a season in seven years (2015) and over the last three seasons combined, he’s only logged a total of 17 regular season games.
When he has played in recent action, he’s been less than his previously brilliant self. His final playoff game against San Francisco in the 2021 season was arguably his worst game ever as a pro. His games in 2022 (where he graciously played out of position to cover the loss of Terence Steele) were generally seen as pretty average in nature.
It’s fair to say Smith hasn’t looked like Smith since 2019.
Yet early returns in training camp indicate Smith looks more like his 2019 self and less like his 2022 self. Playing on the left side again, Smith has regained his comfort and much of his dominance.
He’s the only player who appears to be able to handle Micah Parsons (although Parsons is still winning plenty of those battles) and seems to have put offseason concerns about his declining ability to bed.
The question remaining is how long his body can hold up.
There’s no answer to this question. Smith has always taken good care of his body so it’s not a matter of preparation or preventative care. The Cowboys also have a top-shelf training staff and offseason program. It stands to reason, everything that can be done, has been done.
With any luck Smith can hold up for 13 games like he did between 2016-2019. It would provide the stability this Cowboys offense needs to find success and position Dallas well for the postseason. What can’t be overlooked is over the past three seasons he’s averaged less than six regular season starts.
Bouncing back to form was a big step and a welcomed sight. The next hurdle is staying healthy.
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