Big Blue’s pass-rush may leave quarterback Dak Prescott bruised in Week 1 after the Dallas Cowboys lost one of their best offensive linemen on Monday.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Tyler Smith is set to undergo left thumb surgery on Tuesday, and the team will place him on injured reserve. He’s expected to miss four to six weeks.
How Tyler Smith’s injury impacts Week 1 matchup against New York Giants
Smith’s injury will further expose the Cowboys’ pass-protection problems. Last season, he was one of the few reliable pass-protectors for a unit that struggled to keep Prescott upright. Per Pro Football Focus, the QB was pressured on 233 dropbacks last season, the seventh most in the NFL.
Smith didn’t allow most of those. Splitting time at left tackle and left guard, he blew nine blocks on 644 pass snaps, via Sports Info Solutions. That number marked the second-fewest in his first four seasons.