Cowboys Place Pro Bowl Guard on IR

The Cowboys will be without Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith for at least the first four games of the season.

by Logan VanDine

Sep 7, 2026

Tyler Smith of the Dallas Cowboys.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their best players on the offensive side of the ball to start the season.

Todd Archer of ESPN reported Monday that Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith will undergo thumb surgery and will be placed on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

Smith attempted to play through the injury throughout training camp but will now opt for surgery. Smith can return as early as October 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the Cowboys will be on a short week playing Thursday night, which could lead Dallas to wait 10 days for Smith’s return when they play the Green Bay Packers.

“Unfortunately, when you’re an offensive lineman, grip strength and things like that are really important,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said to reporters on Monday. “We know he’s a quick healer, and we want to get it fixed and he’ll be back before too long.”

Since being drafted 24th overall by the Cowboys in 2022, Smith has quickly established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. He has been named to the Pro Bowl each of the last three seasons, joining Larry Allen and Zack Martin as the only guards in franchise history to appear in three Pro Bowls in his first four seasons.

Smith also inked a four-year, $96 million extension with $81.2 million guaranteed with the Cowboys last September, making him the highest-paid guard in league history.

T.J. Bass will now take Smith’s place at left guard; he has started in only 10 games in his first three seasons of his career.

The Cowboys will open the season in the Meadowlands against the New York Giants on September 13 at 8:20 p.m. EST.