Some analysts are pondering whether Tyron Smith’s long-term future with the Dallas Cowboys is uncertain. Alex Kay from Bleacher Report suggested that the Cowboys trade Smith to Pittsburgh’s historical rival for a third-round draft. Kay cited previous deals with Trent Williams and Duane brown as a starting point for a possible trade. However, Smith’s injury history will likely lower his value to other teams.
Kay wrote that Smith was still undoubtedly productive on the field, and he made his eighth Pro Bowl in spite of only appearing in 11 games last year. However, Smith’s spotty availability as well as rising costs and readily available replacement could make him obsolete.” Kay wrote.
“… While Smith may not be offered many deals due to his health concerns, there are precedents for older tackles returning a decent amount of draft capital. Trent Williams, a 31-year old, was able to net third- and fifth round picks. Duane Brown was traded when he was 32 for second-and third-rounders.
“Getting back a third-rounder for Smith would be a win for the Cowboys, and a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers should be happy to oblige. The Steelers had PFF’s No. 26-rated offensive line in 2021 while deploying ineffective rookie Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle.”
Smith was injured and missed six games last season. He has only played in 13 games in the past two years. This veteran tackle has been absent for at least three games in six consecutive seasons, raising questions about his long-term availability.
Smith’s cost is another issue. Smith has two seasons left on an eight-year deal HTML97.6million. Smith will make $13.5 million each of the next two season, which is quite a lot for someone who has been absent for so long.
Despite Smith’s flaws, there is still a need for offensive line support across the NFL. Smith would still be able to provide Steelers much-needed support for rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, even if he is out of action for several games. After selecting Tyler Smith at No. 24, the Cowboys said they will swap Smith for another left tackle. 24 pick.
“The only thing I would add to this, the key thing with Smith is just his ability,” Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones explained during an April 28 press conference. “We think he can be our left tackle for a long time, at some point in time. Obviously, we got the best in the business now in Tyron Smith, but at some point [with] his ability we really believe he can be a really top, top left tackle.”
It is unclear when this transition will occur, but Smith could be kept by the Cowboys for another season. Dallas may still consider trading Smith in the next offseason, as Smith enters the last year of his contract.