News: DC: Progress Report: How Tyron Smith Bounces Back

[75boyz]

No matter what your plan is going into a season if you lose the top 3 OT for significant periods you will fail.
No team has 4-5 OT worth of depth without trading or getting insanely lucky.

Knowing what we now know it's a good thing they didn't try to trade for a better option early in the year.


But you can't count on guys who are out regularly.
This is the first lengtly absence of Tyron and La'el so you give them a hard look but move forward with them if they pass all the physicals imho.

I think Knight, Steele, Martin were all positives at OT last year BUT positives in sense they are legit options in nightmare scenarios.
Only Martin could start more than a couple weeks at OT for me ever again.

If Tyron is back to Tyron of 13 games then I can patch with Knight/Steele for a couple weeks. I might even rest Tyron week 17 were I in the playoffs for one of the young guys.
And if I need a RT I wouldn't hesitate to use Martin.

All that said if I can draft a healthier, ready to go say 1 OT at 10 I am not scared at all to do so if he is in my top tier of guys.
I am happily willing to look at Collijns, Tyron, CWill, Biadaz, Martin, McGovern and a Rookie at 10 like Slater and say what's my best 5.
Odds are pretty high out of 5 guys one will be hit with an injury that takes them well below 100%.

Agree with all your thinking and examples shared here. Nice post.

 

[jterrell]

In Tyron's case it is less about age and more about mileage. He came into the league at 20. Where most guys are 21-23 or 24.

And started day 1 and has been playing hard ever since.
Bodies can only take so much abuse.
Also Tyron carries almost no water weight. He's fit and trim which looks great but doesn't protect muscle like fat does from pounding.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I still believe this decision is the number 2 overall priority next to QB, for the team going forward.
There is obvious durability uncertainty.

Trusting in Steele or Knight is a major gamble that should not be made.

Plan accordingly.

Additionally, If Collins' surgery recovery reports are not positive then moving Martin out to RT permanently should be on the table.

No matter how you frame it by looking at Mahommes' line in the SB, Rodgers loss of Bakhtiari or the Dallas 2020 line against Washington. Heck, even against NY in the second game. Or you could go all the way back to the Chaz Green experiment as another example of not planning accordingly.

However you want to look at it, Left Tackle is a HUGE offseason priority imo.

Assuming a return to full peak health and no missed games is not a proper back up plan strategy.

For me, its the least of our problems. I would cut Smith and move Martin out to LT will he will be an all pro there. We have two young guards in Williams and McGovern that can play inside with Biadasz.

Plus guards are cheaper and easier to find then LT's. Knight and Steele can remain as quality backups learning their craft. I would probably try to sign Looney to backup the center and guard positions.

In that light, the oline is pretty much set going into next season and we have now opened up another 12 million in cap space.

 

[Corso]

Progress Report: How Tyron Smith Bounces Back

Of all the players injured in 2021, a strong case could be for Tyron Smith as the one the Cowboys missed the most. We took a closer look at his status what impact his return will have on the season.

Read Full Story

That arm brace is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[75boyz]

For me, its the least of our problems. I would cut Smith and move Martin out to LT will he will be an all pro there. We have two young guards in Williams and McGovern that can play inside with Biadasz.

Plus guards are cheaper and easier to find then LT's. Knight and Steele can remain as quality backups learning their craft. I would probably try to sign Looney to backup the center and guard positions.

In that light, the oline is pretty much set going into next season and we have now opened up another 12 million in cap space.

If Martin is the actual backup plan in the event of a prolonged Tyron absence I would definitely have a more optimistic outlook as he would be the only one I could trust to perform at an equal to or near equal Tyron level at LT.

But if Martin is the LT long term answer that still leaves Steele or Knight as the backup in case the Collins injury uncertainty turned south.

I may not share the same confidence as you in either of these 2 being long term starters at either tackle spots. Spot starters only imo.

My thinking pretty much aligns exactly as jterrell's earlier post quite honestly.

But drafting a plug n' play RT would be easier than drafting/finding any LT not named Sewell, so there's ultimately that to consider as well imo "if Martin moved to LT."

Nice post.