The Dallas Cowboys were without Tyron Smith on Sunday as the All-Pro left tackle dealt with a neck issue which landed him on the injury report last Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Smith wanted to play but wasn’t allowed to by the team’s doctors. The Cowboys “hope” he can go against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9, per Archer.
The important news, as positive as it sounds at first, also happens to raise several questions for the Cowboys moving forward. The first one of which seems pretty urgent as the league’s trade deadline quickly approaches. NFL teams have until Tuesday, October 31st at 4 p.m. ET, to make a trade. Let’s dive in.
Should the Cowboys trade for OL help?
Smith’s health is going to continue to be a concern whether or not he returns in time to travel to Philadelphia next weekend. That’s what comes with a lengthy injury history and it’s the situation the Cowboys chose to deal with when they planned for him to be their starting left tackle in 2023.
So yes, in an ideal world, sure! 100%, the Cowboys should upgrade their offensive line. The small problem is that it’s not easy to find big guys on the trade block. In today’s league, no one has enough quality offensive linemen to let them go easily.
“I feel good about our offensive line,” Jerry Jones told reporters following the Cowboys’ win over the Rams. “Everybody in the league is looking for starting offensive linemen.”
Jerry might say some wild stuff here and there, but he’s right on the money with that comment. You’re just unlikely to find a deal out there.
Is Tyron Smith happy with the Cowboys?
I found it interesting that Archer reported that Smith wanted to play on Sunday. I was immediately taken back to Week 3 when the left tackle was held out of the game even though he suited up and was active.
Keep in mind, that millions of dollars are at stake each time that Smith doesn’t play. The numbers suggest he loses out on a million per game missed, as I broke down earlier this season.
It’s one of those situations the Cowboys will have to be careful with if they don’t want to risk alienating one of their best players on the 53-man roster.
Can Chuma Edoga go if Tyron Smith can’t vs Eagles?
The Cowboys seem to have avoided a major injury to backup tackle Chuma Edoga on Sunday. According to reports, he suffered a low ankle sprain, which keeps him in play for Sunday. Earlier this year, KaVontae Turpin didn’t miss a single game with such an injury.
Hopefully, the Cowboys don’t need him to start. But Smith’s neck issue sure means they might need him at any moment. Missing both against the Eagles would be a major problem.
