3 surprise cuts the Cowboys could make this offseason

1. Dallas Cowboys surprise cuts – OT Tyron Smith

This decision would be a whopper if the Cowboys decided to move on from one of the key pillars of their offensive line. Tyron Smith has been a star since Dallas drafted him in 2011 but he has become more injury-prone of late.

The Cowboys haven’t gotten a full 16-game season out of Smith since 2015. Smith missed three games a year from 2016 to 2019 before only appearing in two last season after suffering a nasty neck injury.

Having an offensive lineman with a bad neck is problematic, especially when he is supposed to be protecting Prescott’s blindside. Smith also turned 30 in December and is more likely to continue breaking down instead of recovering to the peak form he demonstrated in the past.

The post-June 1 designation would allow the Cowboys to save roughly $10.5 million by cutting Smith, a move they could justify if they feel La’El Collins can handle the left side on a permanent basis. A restructure is also in play here but it seems highly unlikely that Dallas will retain Smith at his current salary given their need to create salary-cap room.