The heart of the Dallas Cowboys has taken yet another blow. As the 2025 NFL offseason continues to unfold, few developments sting quite as deeply—or carry as many implications—as the departure of Tyron Smith. The legendary offensive tackle, long considered one of the bedrocks of the Cowboys’ identity, has moved on, and with him goes not just elite talent and experience, but the very stability that once made Dallas a formidable force in the NFC. For Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offensive line, the future now appears more uncertain than ever.
Tyron Smith has been the face of the Cowboys’ offensive line for over a decade. Drafted with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, he was a foundational piece in transforming Dallas from an inconsistent franchise into one of the league’s most physically dominant teams. His combination of size, agility, and raw power allowed him to neutralize the NFL’s best edge rushers with stunning consistency. He wasn’t just a cornerstone on the field—he was a tone-setter in the locker room. A quiet leader, Smith’s presence represented professionalism, toughness, and a deep understanding of what it meant to wear the star on his helmet.
But now, for the first time in 14 years, the Cowboys will take the field without Tyron anchoring the left side of the line. His exit, which had long been speculated due to a mix of age, injury history, and contract complications, is now official. It comes at a time when the Cowboys are already reeling from uncertainty at multiple key positions. The departure of Tyron Smith doesn’t just weaken the left tackle position—it erodes the entire infrastructure that Dak Prescott has relied on for protection throughout most of his career.
Prescott, himself entering a crucial stage in his tenure with the franchise, now faces the possibility of a reshuffled line that lacks the cohesion, experience, and elite skill it once had. He’s already had to overcome a rotating cast of receivers, inconsistent running game support, and questions about his long-term future in Dallas. Now, with Tyron Smith gone, Prescott loses one of the few constants that has been with him through injuries, comeback efforts, and playoff pushes.
The numbers tell the story, but the impact goes beyond statistics. Since 2015, the Cowboys were 56-34 in games Tyron Smith started. In contrast, they struggled mightily in games where he was unavailable due to injury. In Smith’s absence, Dallas often had to resort to patchwork solutions at left tackle, and the offense never quite clicked the same. Even as age and injuries limited him in recent years, when healthy, Smith remained among the league’s top tackles. He allowed just one sack during the 2023 season and consistently graded as one of the top run-blocking linemen, even while playing through discomfort.
From the front office’s perspective, Smith’s departure may have been inevitable. At 34 years old and with a lengthy history of back, neck, and knee issues, Dallas knew they were playing on borrowed time. And yet, the front office’s failure to adequately prepare for life after Tyron raises serious questions. While young linemen like Tyler Smith and Terence Steele have shown flashes, neither is a one-for-one replacement for a future Hall of Famer. Tyler Smith has settled in at left guard after beginning his career at left tackle, and Steele is still developing after a shaky 2023 campaign marred by penalties and inconsistent protection.
Now, with free agency thinned out and the NFL Draft offering limited immediate answers at offensive tackle, the Cowboys are stuck between short-term needs and long-term roster building. Do they move Tyler Smith back to left tackle despite his growth at guard? Do they reach for a rookie in the draft and hope for a seamless transition? Or do they gamble on another veteran free agent—one that surely won’t bring Tyron’s elite pedigree to the table?
Regardless of the solution, none will offer Prescott the comfort and trust he developed with Tyron over the years. It’s no coincidence that Prescott’s best seasons statistically—2016, 2019, and 2021—all came when Smith was healthy and dominating the blind side. The chemistry between quarterback and left tackle is one of the most underappreciated dynamics in football. It’s built not just on reps, but on trust. Trust that a 280-pound defensive end won’t blindside you. Trust that your internal clock doesn’t have to tick faster. Trust that your most valuable real estate is protected. Without Smith, that trust is now fractured.
The ripple effects could be massive. Without a rock-solid left tackle, play-calling may become more conservative. Prescott may need to rush throws or rely more on quick releases and underneath routes. The running game, too, could take a hit—Smith was a dominant force in setting the edge, allowing Dallas to run wide with success. For a team that already let Ezekiel Elliott walk and hasn’t found a long-term replacement at running back, the offensive scheme is in danger of becoming both predictable and ineffective.
This loss also affects the locker room. Smith was beloved by teammates and respected across the league. He led by example, kept his head down, and did the dirty work without complaint. He took pay cuts and restructured his deal multiple times to help the team financially. You can’t replace that kind of leadership with a draft pick or a journeyman lineman. Smith was a Cowboy in every sense of the word—resilient, selfless, and elite.
As the Cowboys prepare for the 2025 season, they do so with more questions than answers. The NFC East remains fiercely competitive, with the Eagles and Giants loading up in free agency and Washington adding significant talent via the draft. Without Smith, Dallas faces a daunting task of reestablishing offensive consistency behind an unproven line. And for Prescott, this could be a career-defining year. With only one playoff win since 2018, his critics grow louder with each early exit. If the offensive line can’t protect him—and if his production dips as a result—the pressure on both Prescott and head coach Mike McCarthy could reach boiling point.
It’s easy to view Smith’s departure as the end of an era—and perhaps that’s exactly what it is. His exit marks the final unraveling of the once-mighty Cowboys offensive line that included Zack Martin, Travis Frederick, and La’el Collins. That group was the envy of the league and the engine behind some of Dallas’ most explosive offenses. Now, only Martin remains, and even his future is uncertain as retirement looms.
The Cowboys had an opportunity to reload rather than rebuild, but years of cap mismanagement and questionable draft decisions have left them in limbo. Letting Smith walk may have been a business decision, but it’s one that could haunt the franchise for years to come.
In the end, Smith’s legacy in Dallas is secure. He’ll likely have his name enshrined in the Cowboys Ring of Honor and one day wear a gold jacket in Canton. He was the definition of consistency and dominance, a technician with the athleticism of a skill player. He made football look effortless—even as he played through pain most fans never knew about. And now that he’s gone, his absence will be felt every time Prescott hits the turf, every time the offense stalls in the red zone, every time a young lineman struggles to hold the edge.
Sometimes, greatness isn’t fully appreciated until it’s gone. Tyron Smith was great. And the Dallas Cowboys are about to find out just how much he meant.