After defender Tyler Smith suffered an injury requiring surgery—expected to sideline him for a month—Brian Schottenheimer made a decision regarding the player

The Dallas Cowboys have been dealt a significant injury blow just as the 2026 regular season is about to begin.

Tyler Smith, one of the most important pieces of Dallas’ offensive line, is set to undergo surgery on his injured left thumb, an issue that is expected to keep the three-time Pro Bowler out for approximately four to six weeks. With Smith unable to perform at his usual level, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys have decided there is little value in delaying the inevitable.

Smith will undergo surgery and is expected to be placed on injured reserve, designated to return.

It is a decision that guarantees Dallas will be without one of its premier blockers for at least the first four games of the season, but Schottenheimer believes addressing the problem now gives Smith the best chance to return healthy for the more demanding portion of the schedule.

Cowboys Choose the Long-Term Approach

Smith had been dealing with ligament damage in his thumb during training camp and attempted to continue working through the injury. However, the limitations eventually became too significant to ignore.

For an offensive lineman, hand strength is essential. Every snap requires Smith to engage powerful defensive linemen, control their movement and maintain leverage. An injured thumb can dramatically reduce his ability to grip and finish blocks.

Schottenheimer explained that Dallas initially wanted to determine whether Smith could continue playing through the problem. Eventually, the organization concluded surgery was the better option.

The Cowboys coach emphasized that the season is long and that getting Smith healthy now is preferable to allowing the injury to linger.

Smith’s operation is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks, meaning injured reserve became the logical roster move. Under the designation, Smith must miss at least four games before becoming eligible to return.

T.J. Bass Gets the Call

Schottenheimer also made another important decision regarding how Dallas will handle Smith’s absence.

T.J. Bass is expected to take over at left guard.

The fourth-year offensive lineman has appeared in 48 games for Dallas since entering the league in 2023 and owns 10 career starts. Five of those starts came during the 2025 season, giving the Cowboys an experienced replacement who already understands the system and has played alongside several members of the current offensive line.

Schottenheimer has made it clear that the coaching staff has significant confidence in Bass.

Dallas’ decision to retain Bass during restricted free agency now looks particularly important. The Cowboys knew offensive-line depth could become critical during a long NFL season, and Smith’s injury has immediately tested that preparation.

Replacing Smith, however, will not be simple.

Losing One of Dallas’ Best Linemen

Smith has developed into one of the Cowboys’ cornerstone players since Dallas selected him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Originally asked to play left tackle as a rookie, Smith eventually settled at left guard and quickly established himself among the NFL’s better interior offensive linemen. He has earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his last three seasons and was named a second-team All-Pro following the 2023 campaign.

His combination of strength, athleticism and versatility has made him particularly valuable while Dallas has continued rebuilding different parts of its offensive line.

That makes the timing of his absence painful.

Dallas opens its season on the road against the New York Giants before facing a challenging early schedule. Instead of beginning the year with its strongest possible offensive line, the Cowboys will immediately have to adjust one of the most important units protecting their offense.

Why Dallas Didn’t Wait

There was another option: Smith could have continued attempting to play through the injury.

But the Cowboys ultimately decided the potential downside was too significant.

Smith had already demonstrated his toughness by practicing while dealing with the problem. Yet toughness alone cannot restore the grip strength required to consistently win battles in the trenches.

By undergoing surgery immediately, Smith has an opportunity to resolve the underlying problem rather than managing it week after week.

That is the calculation behind Schottenheimer’s decision: sacrifice several games now in hopes of getting an elite offensive lineman back closer to full strength for the majority of the season.

When Could Tyler Smith Return?

The earliest possible return would come after Smith completes the mandatory four-game injured-reserve absence.

That theoretically puts him in position to return around Week 5, when Dallas faces Tampa Bay. However, that matchup comes on a short week, making an immediate return potentially ambitious.

If the Cowboys decide not to rush him, the following matchup against Green Bay could become a more realistic target.

Ultimately, the timetable will depend on how Smith responds to surgery and how quickly he regains the strength and functionality necessary to play his position.

Schottenheimer has expressed optimism about Smith’s ability to recover quickly, but Dallas has little reason to take unnecessary risks with a player who figures prominently in the franchise’s long-term plans.

A Major Early Test for Schottenheimer and the Cowboys

The Cowboys would obviously prefer to have Tyler Smith protecting their offense from Week 1.

Instead, Schottenheimer now faces an early test of the depth Dallas spent the offseason constructing.

Smith will have surgery. He will head to injured reserve. And T.J. Bass will be asked to hold down the left-guard position until one of Dallas’ most accomplished offensive linemen is ready to return.

It is a short-term sacrifice made with the bigger picture in mind.

For Dallas, the objective isn’t simply getting Tyler Smith back onto the field as quickly as possible.

It is getting him back healthy enough to remain there when the games become increasingly important.