Smith signed a one year deal with a base salary of $6.5 million with the Jets.

Tyron Smith‘s sudden departure shocked the Cowboys nation. Yet what’s even more baffling is that Jerry Jones did not have the budget to keep the veteran offensive tackle.

The Dallas Cowboys player hunt in free agency was progressing at a pace similar to that of a turtle. All of this was sped up when they announced that 33-year-old offensive lineman Tyron Smith had left the team.

Later, longtime Cowboys reporters Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill Jr. reported the reason behind the departure. The Cowboys veteran owner did not have the funds at his disposal to keep the All-Pro tackle.

Smith was coming off a one-year, $6 million restructured deal with the Cowboys. He eventually signed a one-year, $6.5 million base salary contract with the New York Jets. Furthermore, he will earn an additional $750,000 in incentives. plays 38 percent of the snaps and can earn $12 million in total if he plays 68 percent of the Jets’ offensive snaps. These incentives were apparently too much for the Cowboys.

For the way things were looking in Dallas, I knew it would most likely be the Jets.

Smith said, after becoming a Jet

Per Jerry Jones, the Cowboys couldn’t afford to keep Tyron Smith and chance him hitting the incentives in the Jets deal. Tyler Smith is the working option at left tackle going into the draft

Who will be Tyron Smith’s replacement at the Dallas Cowboys?

Almost two weeks have passed since free agency opened, and the Cowboys’ only noteworthy addition is linebacker Eric Kendricks. It’s clear to see that Jones doesn’t want to spend too much money because he is confident about the strength of his team, which has more than 10 Pro Bowlers.

Tyron Smith (Image via IMAGO)
However, Tyron Smith was an All-Pro who locked down the left tackle spot for more than a decade. On the surface, replacing him will be a massive challenge. However, Jerry Jones already has a suitable replacement ready to step up.

The Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith 24th overall in 2022, intending to name him the successor to the veteran. Smith played meaningful snaps in his rookie campaign in the LT spot when the 33-year-old was injured. He switched to being the left guard in 2023, playing 942 snaps. PFF gave the 22-year-old a high score of 72.9 as he earned his first Pro Bowl nod.

I'd say that's a good, viable thing. Don't dismiss that idea. He's [Tyler Smith] potentially, I want to say, a great player at left tackle.

Jerry Jones said, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on the possibility LG Tyler Smith moves to left tackle to replace Tyron Smith: “I’d say that’s a good, viable thing. …Keep the idea there. Don’t dismiss that idea. …Certainly, he’s potentially — I want to say a great player at left tackle.”

— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) March 24, 2024

The Cowboys can still make significant additions when the NFL Draft arrives. More than eight offensive tackles are projected to be selected in the first round.