I think Tyron Smith, if healthy, will start

[BEARCATSKLZ]

Problem is, he is never healthy.
Has not played a complete season in 8 years.
The future is determined by the past.
Counting on him is not wise.

It required in football... See Tank... he was healthy last year... injuries are a part of the game... play the best 5 available.

 

[ChuckA1]

Maybe they're looking at udfa OT Earl Bostick Jr as guard this season?

 

[OmerV]

In regard to the first part, if he’s participating (not rehab) in July then there’s no reason to believe he won’t be able to play in September. He would have to be in rehab for 60-70% of camp for that to be a concern.

Secondly, Steele could very well be the swing. But why make your starting OL weaker than it has to be? The key here is Waletzko who I soon believe will have many of our minds at ease. He looked really good in his few chances before injury and the team has said on multiple occasions they are extremely pleased with where he’s at.

With Waletzko as the swing, you can play your best 5 in Smith/Smith/Tyler B/Martin/Steele and slide Waletzko in when Tyron is inevitably injured.

When Gallup came back he was cleared to play, but was not immediately back to form. Not sure he was ever fully back to form last year. Being cleared to play, and being 100% of where you were aren't necessarily the same thing.

As for your scenario with Tyler Smith at OG, that was the context of my comments on this. Some were saying that Tyler Smith should be left at the LT spot he played last year, and is expected to play long term rather than cut into his development at LT by using him at LG. I was just saying that there is an option to have both Tyron Smith and Tyler Smith as starters at OT.

As for Waletzcko, I'm entusiastic about him, but we are a long way from really knowing how he will develop. I'm not at all sure him sliding in as a starter on the OL would be the best alternative if Tyron goes down.

The best scenario would be if the Cowboys found someone we could be more confident in as the starting LG, and leave Tyler at LT, but I don't think we have that guy right now.

 

[OmerV]

Yeah, we will. Tyron had no confidence out there at RT and was just trying to survive. Take a look at the drop off in the running game with Smith at RT vs when Steele was there.

I didnt see that at all. I thought he did fine at RT. Of course he had to adjust some, but it wouldn't be new to him this year.

 

[Stash]

I didnt see that at all. I thought he did fine at RT.

I’d advise you again to look at the rushing yardage numbers.

Of course he had to adjust some, but it wouldn't be new to him this year.

A full offseason would probably help him a lot. But I’d rather Steele there.

 

[J-man]

If we can get one of the other guys to be an effective starting LG, Tyler should stay at LT and Tyron should be the RT. Steele should be the swing tackle. Steele is coming back from injury and may not be 100% ready for tc snaps. He's been the swing before so the team is used to him coming in when needed. If an injury occurs you fix 1 spot, with 1 move. Keeps the line more cohesive.

If you move Tyler to LG, Tyron at LT, Steele at RT and Tyron goes down you have to move Tyler to LT and bring in a LG. Fixing 1 spot with 2 moves. Messing with the cohesiveness even more.

 

[OmerV]

I’d advise you again to look at the rushing yardage numbers.


A full offseason would probably help him a lot. But I’d rather Steele there.

Pollard either sat out or barely played in all but two of the games Tyron started at RT, and several of those defenses were among the best against the run in the NFL. The Titans and 49ers were the best.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

People just need to stop with the "Tyron should be the swing tackle" argument. When healthy, Tyron will play. Why? Because he's still the best OT on the team. You don't sit your best player just because he MIGHT get hurt. If he's healthy, he's one of the top 2-3 OT's in the entire NFL. If he get's hurt, you deal with it.

His restructured contract is incentive based, where he gets docked pay if he does get hurt. But Tyron will start. He will either start at LT or RT. Tyler will start. He will either start at LT or LG. The undrafted Terence Steele will either start at RT, or be the swing tackle. There is NO SCENARIO at all where Tyron Smith is the swing tackle. Either he's healthy and starts, or he's hurt, and the younger guys play. If Tyron gets hurt, then the Cowboys have 4 players on the roster who can fill in at the swing tackle position - Waletzko, Ball, Edoga and Richards. All but Waletzko will get time at both Guard and Tackle during training camp.

The best lineman in the world won't help you if he is chronically hurt or rehabbing. We have a good lineman in Tyron, but we never know when the chap will show up.

 

[atlantacowboy]

That is a given. Tyron Smith, when healthy, is still the teams best OT. The problem is that we know there needs to be a plan B better than a Chaz Green which is why we drafted Tyler Smith.

 

[BEARCATSKLZ]

If we can get one of the other guys to be an effective starting LG, Tyler should stay at LT and Tyron should be the RT. Steele should be the swing tackle. Steele is coming back from injury and may not be 100% ready for tc snaps. He's been the swing before so the team is used to him coming in when needed. If an injury occurs you fix 1 spot, with 1 move. Keeps the line more cohesive.

If you move Tyler to LG, Tyron at LT, Steele at RT and Tyron goes down you have to move Tyler to LT and bring in a LG. Fixing 1 spot with 2 moves. Messing with the cohesiveness even more.

but what is tyler or steele gets reinjuried... isn't that the same? still best 5 starts... regardless...

 

[jnday]

People just need to stop with the "Tyron should be the swing tackle" argument. When healthy, Tyron will play. Why? Because he's still the best OT on the team. You don't sit your best player just because he MIGHT get hurt. If he's healthy, he's one of the top 2-3 OT's in the entire NFL. If he get's hurt, you deal with it.

His restructured contract is incentive based, where he gets docked pay if he does get hurt. But Tyron will start. He will either start at LT or RT. Tyler will start. He will either start at LT or LG. The undrafted Terence Steele will either start at RT, or be the swing tackle. There is NO SCENARIO at all where Tyron Smith is the swing tackle. Either he's healthy and starts, or he's hurt, and the younger guys play. If Tyron gets hurt, then the Cowboys have 4 players on the roster who can fill in at the swing tackle position - Waletzko, Ball, Edoga and Richards. All but Waletzko will get time at both Guard and Tackle during training camp.

He should start. It might be for just a few games before he is injured.

 

[J-man]

but what is tyler or steele gets reinjuried... isn't that the same? still best 5 starts... regardless...

No not really. In my scenario Steel is the swing tackle. So if Tyler is at LT and goes down in a game, Steele comes in. That's one move to fix one position, and it's a panned and practiced move. I will say that if Tyler goes down for several games, I could see them moving Tyron to LT and making Steel the RT. But that would be a larger move and they would do it between games and it would have time to gel over time.

If Steele goes down, as the back, you bring in the third string, Waletzko becomes the back up would be my guess.