NFL rumors: Cowboys LT Tyron Smith could be seeking huge pay day
By Josh Sanchez
Since the Dallas Cowboys made offensive tackle Tyron Smith the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, he has started 43 games and done an impressive job protecting Tony Romo which was enough to earn him a Pro Bowl berth.
Smith is now entering the final year of his rookie contract and will begin thinking about his next pay check, and it appears that he has a big number in mind.
According to ESPN Dallas, Smith could be interested in hitting a number close to the deal Joe Thomas got from the Cleveland Browns after his rookie deal. Thomas got a seven-year, $84 million deal that included $44 million guaranteed, so Dallas may need to open up the check book if they want to keep Smith in town.
Of course, the team holds a fifth-year option on the deal that they could exercise, but they would likely prefer to keep Smith happy and under contract for as long as possible.
Smith has proven to be a top five offensive tackle in the league, so he is more than deserving of the big money deal.