Cowboys O-Line: Tyler Smith Exclusively Left Guard; Matt Waletzko Surgery?
Monday afternoon in Oxnard the Dallas Cowboys finally started playing football. And, with all rookies, you never know what's what until the pads come on.
But before his first hit of training camp or inevitable preseason penalty, first-round draft choice Tyler Smith was doing the right things and getting solid reviews. On an offensive line that lost the likes of La'el Collins and Connor Williams from last year's team, the rookie from Tulsa seems entrenched at left guard.
At that position and almost exclusively that position, according to coach Mike McCarthy.
Though the 6-5, 320-pounder has the agility and skillset to play tackle and hopefully be the heir to Tyron Smith on quarterback Dak Prescott's left side, the Cowboys are scaling back his future flexibility to focus on the present.
"I probably played him too much at tackle than guard during OTAs,” McCarthy said before Dallas' first padded practice of the Summer. "We're going to give him the most reps at left guard ... so he can build some continuity and comfort there."
Also on the offensive line, rookie Matt Waletzko - the leading candidate to win the swing tackle job - won't practice this week, according to McCarthy. His shoulder injury is serious enough that the team is considering surgery.
In shorts and without contact, Smith seemed to be everything the Cowboys envisioned in making him the 24th overall pick.
"I’m liking everything that I’m seeing," said owner Jerry Jones early at camp. "I’ve seen him have the instincts to pick it up when they’re playing games on him. He’s doing it naturally. He’s just so strong, and he’s really so gifted in terms of smart on picking it up.”
But as veteran right guard noted, it's a clean slate when the pads start pounding.
"He's a big, physical guy that can really do some things that you can't coach," Martin said of Smith. "He did a nice job in OTAs, but we'll see how he does in pads."
