Smith sidelined for 4–6 weeks after surgery, placed on injured reserve
The Dallas Cowboys will be without three-time Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith for four to six weeks after he undergoes surgery on his left thumb, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Monday. He will be placed on injured reserve, designated to return, which will require him to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
Schottenheimer acknowledged the team's desire to fix the issue promptly and projected a relatively short recovery window, saying, "We know he's a quick healer, and we want to get it fixed. He'll be back before too long."
Further evaluation determined the problem is a ligament tear rather than a fracture, Yardbarker reported, and Smith had been managing the injury for some time while attempting to avoid surgery. The club opted for the procedure Tuesday to expedite his return.
Bass will step into the starting lineup; credentials and performance metrics
T.J. Bass will replace Smith in the starting left-guard spot, a move Schottenheimer confirmed as the Cowboys finalize their opening-week roster plans. Bass joined the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon in 2023 and has developed into a trusted interior option.
Bass has appeared in 48 games since 2023 with 10 career starts, five of which came in 2025, Cbssports reported. Across his career pass-blocking work, Bass has allowed just two sacks and 15 quarterback pressures on 568 pass-blocking snaps, per Cbssports.
Pro Football Focus gave Bass an overall grade of 67.6 in 2025, ranking him 29th among qualifying guards. He posted a pass-blocking grade of 62.9 and a run-blocking grade of 65.8, and he allowed zero penalties across 352 snaps last season.
Schottenheimer framed the decision succinctly: "Tyler Smith is a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J.," Cbssports recorded.
Yardbarker described Bass as a technician who wins with leverage, processes stunts quickly and offers versatility across the interior — traits that underpin why the Cowboys placed a second-round restricted free-agent tender on him previously, Cbssports reported. In the 10 games Bass has started, the Cowboys are 5-4-1 and have averaged 27.8 points per game, Yardbarker added.
The Cowboys will now lean on Bass's steadiness and the club's depth while Smith recovers. Smith's IR designation gives Dallas roster flexibility to manage the early-season stretch, and Bass will be tasked with keeping the interior unit consistent during the absence of a three-time Pro Bowler.
