Another blow has hit the Dallas Cowboys’ offense on Thursday and injuries are starting to threaten the preparation of the team’s pre-season ahead of a pivotal 2025 NFL season.
The last man to go down is All-Pro guard Tyler Smith, who left Thursday’s training camp practice in Oxnard, California, due to a knee issue.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones later confirmed that Smith is dealing with knee tendinitis in another blow to a decimated unit already battered by injuries.
Smith left practice roughly 30 minutes before it ended, and the 23-year-old did not participate in team drills, walking to the locker room on his own.
Though Smith told reporters he felt “fine,” the Cowboys are not going to take any chances as injuries continue to pile up across their offensive front.
Coincidentally but unequivocally good for Dallas, the team had scheduled a rest day on Friday, giving Smith at least one day off and nearly 48 hours of rest before the next scheduled session on Saturday.
Cowboys O-Line Facing Depth Crisis Before Pre-Season
- Left tackle Tyler Guyton fractured a bone in his knee and is expected to miss four to six weeks, casting doubt on his availability for Week 1.
- Right guard Rob Jones, who had seemingly climbed ahead of rookie Tyler Booker on the depth chart, suffered a neck fracture and will miss several months.
- Left tackle Hakeem Adeniji suffered a concussion during Thursday’s practice.
- Right tackle Terrence Steele suffered a high-ankle sprain at the start of training camp but returned to practice after getting a low-grade sprain diagnosis.
Even with Steele back on the field, the mounting injuries have forced the team to experiment with different combinations on the OL at different times throughout the first week of training camp.
Brock Hoffman took first-team reps at left guard in Smith’s absence, while Nate Thomas and Asim Richards rotated at left tackle. Rookie Cooper Beebe lined up at center, and Booker filled in at right guard.
Cowboys Entering A Pivotal Year With Little Margin for Error
With Zack Martin retired and three linemen now sidelined, having enough as to properly protect quarterback Dak Prescott is starting to become a concern for a team entering a high-pressure season.
Smith’s tendinitis may prove to be minor, but the Cowboys are thin up front, and any extended absence from Smith, or anybody else on offensive line, would further strain a group already struggling to stay healthy.
Dallas is entering the 2025 season with Super Bowl aspirations and won’t have much room for any type of setback.
