DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Cowboys have just over two weeks to determine who will start at left tackle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1 after Tyron Smith went down with a knee injury that could keep him out of the lineup until December "if all goes perfectly well," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
When speaking with Todd Archer of ESPN following his appearance Thursday on First Take, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team is "giving thought" to going outside the organization to help fill Smith's role.
With that in mind, here are a few targets the Cowboys can consider through free agency or trade.
Andrew Whitworth
Update:
Welp. It sure does sound like Whitworth won't be a Dallas Cowboy based off of the comments he made on Twitter.
Whitworth set off a firestorm when he said on Amazon Prime's broadcast of the Texans and the 49ers that "it's been a busy day answering calls" from people in Dallas. He later clarified that he meant he was receiving calls from reporters asking about his interest level in the Cowboys, and not from the team themselves.
If the Cowboys were to bring Whitworth into the fold, they'll have to do it with a large portion of the roughly $18 million dollars they have in salary cap space.
The 40-year-old announced his retirement in March after completing his 16th NFL season, which culminated in his first Super Bowl ring with the Rams.
And there's another wrinkle to get past … He's still under contract with the Rams.
Whitworth is a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro.
Jason Peters
In a July interview with SiriusXM, Peters said he's not ready to hang up his cleats despite turning 40 in January. Peters said he's still working out to stay in playing shape while he waits for one final opportunity.
Peters, a six-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler, spent the first five seasons of his career with Buffalo after the Bills signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas in 2004. From there, he went on to stake his claim as one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL while playing for the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles up until 2020.
Peters started 15 games for the Chicago Bears in 2021, and according to Pro Football Focus, he was the 20th-ranked offensive tackle last season.
Eric Fisher
Fisher, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2013, remains a free agent after spending last season with the Indianapolis Colts following seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Fisher, still just 31, will also command a large salary from whichever team signs him. However, he doesn't have the credentials that Peters and Whitworth have. He was a Pro Bowler in 2018 and 2020 but has never been an All-Pro.
Fisher's durability might be his best attribute, which the Cowboys can certainly use right about now. Fisher has started in at least 14 games in six of his eight NFL seasons and started in 15 in 2020, and another 15 in 2021 despite suffering a torn Achilles in the AFC Championship Game.
Isaiah Wynn
Wynn's future in New England is cloudy after the Patriots picked up the fifth-year option on his contract this offseason, but have yet to negotiate an extension with the former 2018 first-round pick.
According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the Patriots have spoken with other teams about Wynn's availability.
The Cowboys have the space to absorb his $10.4 million salary, but in addition to paying his salary, they'd also have to give up somewhere between a third and fifth-round pick.
Wynn missed his entire rookie season after tearing his Achilles and only appeared in 18 games in 2019 and 2020. However, he appeared in 16 (15 starts) of 17 games with New England in 2021.
Cameron Erving
Erving is a potential trade candidate in Carolina, as he lost the starting left tackle job to No. 6 overall pick Ikem Ekwonu. Erving is currently slated to be the Panthers' swing tackle.
Erving has bounced around the NFL since entering the league in 2015. He appeared in six games (5 starts) with the Cowboys in 2020. He spent the 2021 season in Carolina, his fifth team, and started all nine games he appeared in.
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