With the Dallas Cowboys officially eliminated from playoff contention, the talk has been more about the offseason than their Christmas Day matchup against the Washington Commanders. The status of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus and cornerback Trevon Diggs are just some of the things Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office will have to sort out in the coming weeks but so are their issues at left tackle.
Tyler Guyton has been a massive disappointment for the Cowboys on the blindside and the team could already be looking for an alternative heading into 2026. While Tyler Smith filled in admirably at left tackle in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, allowing one pressure on 36 pass-blocking snaps according to Pro Football Focus, he took it upon himself to say that he is not the long-term solution at the position when talking to reporters on Tuesday.
“I’m an All-Pro guard, bro. You feel me?” Smith said via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Nick Harris. “That’s the simple truth if we’re just looking purely off facts. We’ll see what happens. We’ll have those conversations and kind of see where everybody’s head is at.”
Tyler Smith’s Contract May Prevent a Full-Time Move to LT in 2026
Smith has a very good reason for balking at a full-time move to left tackle. A first-round pick by the Cowboys in the 2022 draft, Smith has become one of the best guards in football, earning second-team All-Pro honors during the 2023 season and his third straight Pro Bowl selection on Tuesday. But even with a freshly signed four-year, $96 million contract in hand, a position switch would take advantage of his performance.
According to Over The Cap, Smith’s annual average value of $24 million per season makes him the highest-paid guard in football, exceeding Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith’s $23.5 million AAV. Well that number makes him well-compensated to do the team thing, it would also make him the sixth-highest paid left tackle and the 10th-highest paid tackle overall.
The Cowboys would also have massive leverage in this situation. Smith is signed through the 2030 season as part of his new contract but also has the rest of his guaranteed money, $24.2 million, shoved into the 2026 campaign. Although Dallas could look to kick some of that money down the road as they sit $47.9 million over the cap with key free agents like George Pickens ready to hit the market, they could also use it as an excuse to get out of Smith’s contract if he struggles to perform at left tackle.
Green Bay Packers center Elgton Jenkins went through a similar situation as the team moved him from guard this offseason. While his performance took a hit, his bank account will likely do the same after he suffered a lower leg fracture that currently has him on the sideline.
A counterargument is that it’s easier to find an elite guard than a franchise left tackle. And if Smith holds down the fort for the next few games, the Cowboys will likely have a discussion about a switch for 2026. But Smith has his own reasons to be against the move, which creates another issue Dallas will have to settle in the upcoming offseason.