5 Dallas Cowboys who have to go this 2023 off-season
By Reid Hanson
Dallas Cowboys who have to go: Tyron Smith OT
Tyron Smith is one of the greatest Dallas Cowboys to ever play. He’s been a fixture on the line for over a decade and a sure-fire Hall of Famer. But as everyone knows, his body isn’t what it used to be and injuries have become a common occurrence.
Smith hasn’t played a full season in seven years and over the past three seasons, Smith has just played in 17 games, missing 32. At the price of $17,605,000 against the cap in 2023, it’s clear Smith is no longer worth it.
The Dallas Cowboys will save nearly $10 million by cutting Smith this winter. That’s $10 million that can go to make upgrades elsewhere or used to retain key players like Trevon Diggs who will be a free agent after next season.
The tackles of the future in Dallas appear to be locked in. Tyler Smith has had a tremendous rookie season and h only scratched the surface on his potential. Terence Steele has developed into one of the top run blocking OTs in the NFL. Expect both to be in Dallas for a long time.
The Dallas Cowboys even have a couple developmental guys worth nurturing. The 2022 rookie Matt Waletzko has a tremendous skill set, he just needs to add weight to his frame and clean up technique. Josh Ball might have been terrible in pass protection opportunities last season, but he’s a strong run blocker and could be a Terence Steele starter kit.
There just isn’t much room for Tyron Smith going forward. Despite always staying in peak physical shape, he’s a constant injury risk and not someone the Cowboys can rely on.