FRISCO, Texas — Here are five things I’m wondering about as the Dallas Cowboys get set to open training camp in Oxnard, California, on Tuesday.
1. Aside from Micah Parsons’ contract situation, I wonder if the Cowboys look to extend the contract of Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith while in Oxnard.
With the retirement of Zack Martin, Smith is the leader of the group. Technically, he is under contract through 2026 since the Cowboys have already picked up his fifth-year option. But why not get ahead of these things when it comes to players the team will want around for years to come?
The Cowboys did something similar with Trevon Diggs back in 2023, although injuries have caused Diggs to miss 21 games the past two years.
Smith is everything the Cowboys want in a lineman. He is tough, smart, strong, just 24 years old, and he grew up not far from The Star. It will be a pretty penny, likely something along the lines of becoming the highest-paid guard in the NFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Trey Smith to a four-year deal worth $94 million. The Eagles’ Landon Dickerson was the highest-paid guard at $21 million per; now it’s $23.5 million for Trey Smith. Would the Cowboys be wise to match that? Go a little higher in the average? Probably so.
Smith recently made an agent change, moving to Joe Panos. In 2014, Panos was Tyron Smith’s agent when he signed his eight-year extension. The Cowboys had exercised Tyron Smith’s fifth-year option in 2015, but signed him in training camp. So there’s a good working history between the club and agent.
2. I wonder if the Cowboys want to see what they have at cornerback for a few practices — and maybe even a preseason game — before looking for help.
We know it’s unlikely that Diggs will be available Week 1 as he rehabs his (twice) surgically repaired left knee. We know rookie Shavon Revel Jr. is coming back from a torn ACL and is likely to start camp on the non-football injury list.
Do the Cowboys want to keep DaRon Bland outside or shift him into the slot? Can Kaiir Elam continue what was a solid offseason into a solid camp when the pads come on? Is Israel Mukuamu a real candidate to play the slot?
Stephon Gilmore is available and made a visit to The Star in the offseason, though it was unofficial. He turns 35 in September, but he can still help a defense. Would Mike Hilton be an option if the Cowboys want slot help? Guys such as Elam, Caelen Carson and Juanyeh Thomas will have a chance early in camp to show they can handle whatever is asked of them.
3. For all of the love that tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford received for his offseason work, I wonder if folks are sleeping on Luke Schoonmaker, the second-round pick in 2023. He performed decently at times last season when Jake Ferguson was hurt.
Like Spann-Ford, he also worked with the first-team offense in the spring. This is the first offseason Schoonmaker was able to be a full participant. Injuries his first two years kept him off the field and hurt his development. I’m told he was one of the more impressive players in the weight room in the offseason. Spann-Ford’s development is nice, but don’t forget about Schoonmaker just yet.
4. In going over a 53-man roster projection that will run in a couple of days, I had a glut of offensive linemen. I actually went with 11 on the final 53, but it got me wondering if the Cowboys could make a trade on the offensive line for some help.
Brock Hoffman has shown he can be at least a spot starter. T.J. Bass has played well in limited action. The Cowboys signed Robert Jones in free agency as well as added Saahdiq Charles and Hakeem Adeniji. All have started games in their careers. We know teams always need offensive line help, but the Cowboys might have some depth that could allow them to make a deal.
5. I wonder how many undrafted free agents make the 53-man roster. Spann-Ford was the only one last season. In 2023, fullback Hunter Luepke, Bass, tight end Princeton Fant and defensive end Tyrus Wheat all saw action.
The top choices would appear to be linebacker Justin Barron and safety Alijah Clark. Maybe it’s because of the money they were guaranteed — $254,000 and $259,000 respectively — but there are depth questions at their positions that will help their cases.
