Dallas Cowboys star left tackle Tyron Smith will miss at least the first few months of the 2022 season due to a significant preseason injury suffered during practice last week.
In order to replace the Pro-Bowl veteran, the Cowboys could choose to search the NFL trade market. But according to longtime team owner Jerry Jones, the organization will first look within for their left tackle replacement.
“We want to look from within. That’s the smartest and logical way to do it,” Jones said, per Cowboys insider Jon Machota. “This gives us a chance to get a lot of reps, we got to learn to play with these younger guys, and we will. Our skill players will take up some of the slack.”
The Cowboys selected rookie offensive lineman Tyler Smith with the 24th overall pick in the 2022 draft. The Tulsa product is considered a possible in-house option to take over at the left tackle position.
Backups Josh Ball and Matt Waletzko are also possible options already on the Cowboys roster.
Tyron Smith suffered an avulsion fracture during practice last Wednesday — meaning the hamstring tendon that sits at the back of the knee pulled off the bone. He likely won’t return to the field until December at the earliest.
Should Jones stick with his current plan or look elsewhere for a new left tackle?