Cowboys eight-time Pro Bowl OT Tyron Smith could miss multiple months with injury, per report

FRISCO, Texas — As the Cowboys snapped the ball all through group drills Wednesday night, Pro Bowl left address Tyron Smith go off the line. He powered upfield to dam Leighton Vander Each and clean the unique run lane. 

But simply after shoving the linebacker, Smith fell. He grabbed his left leg close to his knee and stayed down. Star linebacker Micah Parsons leaped to keep away from tripping over Smith—or falling on him—after which Parsons grew to become speedy to test on Smith. 

Cowboys teammates gathered, concerned.  

Late Wednesday night, Smith become showed to have torn his left hamstring, ESPN reported. Further overview of the severity awaited Thursday, consistent with ESPN, with an preliminary timeline doubtlessly sidelining Smith for “multiple” months.

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Some heightened degree of severity was feared when trainers flanked Smith’s early exit from practice Wednesday, the left tackle not returning. But in the locker room, Smith was walking on his own power in typical spirits, fellow offensive lineman Connor McGovern said Wednesday night. “He gave me a nice reassuring grunt like he usually does,” McGovern said. “Playing next to him for so long, I can decipher his grunt.” 

A months-lengthy timeline jeopardizes Smith’s availability for the Cowboys’ attempting early gauntlet. Dallas hosts Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers withinside the season opener and the reigning AFC-champion Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. Week 5, the Cowboys go to the protecting Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams. Dallas is likewise predicted to be skinny at receiver early withinside the season as veterans Michael Gallup (ACL) and James Washington (foot fracture) entire their recoveries. 

Dallas knew its offensive line intensity became shoddy while it drafted Tulsa lineman Tyler Smith within side the first spherical this spring. Cowboys owner/popular supervisor Jerry Jones projected Smith because the team’s left defend of the present (Dallas permit Connor Williams stroll in loose agency) and left address of the future. Jones and Cowboys train Mike McCarthy every deemed Tyler Smith a “left-facet player.” But the university address has labored at left defend in education camp practices, and he neglected exercise this week altogether with an ankle sprain that’s now no longer taken into consideration serious. 

Josh Ball, the Cowboys 2021 fourth-spherical select out who did now no longer play as a rookie, slid in at left address while Tyron Smith went down Wednesday. 

Smith hasn’t maintained fitness thru a complete season in seven years. He neglected 5 video games closing season with more than one ailments, consisting of a excessive ankle sprain, and underwent season-finishing neck surgical treatment  video games into the 2020 season. Smith’s age is relevant: the 32-year-antique is the Cowboys’ oldest and longest-tenured player. And he neglected simply one recreation in 5 seasons after the Cowboys drafted him 9th normal in 2011. 

But his fitness has currently declined. The Cowboys selected now no longer to make investments deeply in his backups. 

Addressing his swing-address roster on Wednesday, McCarthy referred to Ball, 2021 undrafted loose agent Aviante Collins and rookie fifth-spherical choice Matt Waletzko. Waletzko neglected maximum of education camp with a shoulder injury. 

“I suppose Josh Ball is developing every week, a extremely good instance of a person who desires the reps,” McCarthy said. “I suppose he is benefited now no longer simplest from the joint practices however the excessive nice of reps he is had withinside the first  preseason video games. (Avionte Collins) has completed a heck of a activity too. Those men had been obtainable playing. That's why it is excellent to get Matt () obtainable. 

“Young men which might be developing.” 

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.