Things are a little touch and go on the left side of the Dallas Cowboys offensive line heading into Sunday’s season opener.
Left guard Tyler Smith and left tackle Tyron Smith are both questionable for Sunday night’s game against the Giants. Tyler Smith is dealing with a hamstring injury, while Tyron Smith is working through an ankle injury.
Not having one of those players would be a blow to the Cowboys offense, let alone both. But Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones effectively classified them both as gametime decisions Friday in his weekly appearance The K&C Masterpiece.
“Well, they are suspect, probably Tyler little more than Tyron, suspect. Those things, we wait until game day," Jones said. "A lot of people say why the ambiguity? Well obviously, soft tissue type injuries, you see how they practice, you see how they rehab during the week.
“And then believe it or not you walk out there on gameday and they go out there and try it out, and if it works they’re playing. If it’s not ready to go or risks further injury, they won’t play. So we don’t know until we see them.”
Though a hugely impactful player when available, Tyron Smith has a lengthy injury history and has not played a full season since 2015.
While the lack of availability is a knock against the 32-year-old, Jones pushed back on the notion that counting on him as a starter is flawed.
“Not at all. I’d rather have him as starter with a good plan for backing him up if he does have recurring injuries,” Jones said. “I’d obviously rather have it that way then not having him there and available to us as a starter. He’s certainly worth it. You also take into consideration the beginning of the year as opposed to when we get down to the end of the year. All of those things are under consideration.
“But when he’s there, when he’s in the game, when he’s healthy, he’s worth that roster spot and worth the money we’re paying him.”