Packers David Bakhtiari: Realistic Dallas Cowboys Free Agent Fit, Tyron Smith Replacement?

The Dallas Cowboys sent left tackle Tyron Smith packing, making them a speculative competitor for lineman David Bakhtiari's services.

The Dallas Cowboys became one of the offseason’s laughing stocks with their silence during the legal tampering period and committed to the bit in the opening days of free agency. In electing to let left tackle Tyron Smith out of the building, they’ve opened a Hall of Fame-sized hole on the offensive line.

Now, with the top free agents off the board, Dallas is likely locked in on cheaper alternatives – and potentially the NFL Draft – to address the trenches.

Does the Cowboys’ conservative approach to the offseason take them out of the running for former Green Bay Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari?

David Bakhtiari

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Bakhtiari’s price isn’t yet clear. Smith signed a one-year, $20 million with the New York Jets, complete with $6.5 million in guarantees and heavy playing-time incentives. The nature of that contract seemed to be too much for Dallas to make work. Smith, who played well in his 13 games last year, will likely be more expensive than Bakhtiari.

However, Bakhtiari has long been one of the best offensive tackles in the sport, and that will have value on the open market, despite his durability concerns.

He suffered a season-ending knee injury that limited his 2023 campaign to just a single game – the second time in three seasons that he played one game. He hasn’t played a full season since 2019.

While neither the Cowboys nor the tackle have publicly ruled each other out, it’s possible Jerry World presents an obstacle in their path. AT&T Stadium uses Hellas Matrix Turf, something that Bakhtiari has publicly disapproved of before. While he denied his brother’s comments about refusing to play on surfaces that aren’t grass, a home stadium with an adequate playing surface could dictate his final decision.

On Saturday, the tackle quote tweeted a post about grass surfaces being used in AT&T Stadium for CONCACAF soccer. 

“But not for NFL players…” he tweeted. 

It is perhaps more likely for the Cowboys to pivot to the NFL Draft, where offensive tackles project to flood the top 50 picks. Many linemen in this year’s class are bound to move inside to start their careers, where arm length issues tend to be mitigated.

In this scenario, Dallas would then move rising star left guard Tyler Smith over to left tackle, where he spent his rookie season. He performed well there, but took a massive step inside – one that should weigh heavily in the team’s consideration up front.

Signing Bakhtiari would presumably be the easiest, highest-ceiling solution to the Cowboys’ openings up front. But as this front office has proven, simplicity can be elusive. Dallas shouldn’t be considered a favorite for the tackle’s services, but may become a competitor if his price falls far enough.