The 2022 NFL season is over for 30 teams, which means they're now looking ahead to the 2023 season. One of those teams is the Dallas Cowboys, who experienced another frustrating playoff loss against the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round. On paper, Dallas has the pieces to compete for a ring, but this offseason will prove to be crucial for them.
That's due to the fact that the Cowboys are currently about $7.6 million over the salary cap for next season. On top of that, key players like Tony Pollard, Dalton Schultz and Leighton Vander Esch are about to hit free agency, and finding the money to keep them around will be difficult. Due to this cap crunch, the Cowboys might have to make some difficult choices this offseason.
The best way for Jerry Jones' team to get out of the red is to cut a few choice players. However that may involve saying goodbye to key pieces who have become fan favorites over the years. In particular, one potential roster cut stands out above the rest in terms of how surprising it would be.
With that said, let's go over the Cowboys' most-surprising potential roster cut this offseason.
Cowboys surprise roster cut: OT Tyron Smith
Dallas had one of the better offensive lines in the NFL throughout the 2010s, with Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and, most importantly for this article, Tyron Smith. Smith was a standout left tackle for years, earning seven straight Pro Bowl nods between 2013 and 2019. He also earned four All-Pro nods during that time, two first-team and two second-team, so he was undoubtedly one of the best linemen in football. However, it may be time for the Cowboys to part ways with the 12-year veteran.
A major reason why Dallas could part ways with Smith is due to his injury history. The left tackle has repeatedly struggled with his health, as he hasn't played a full season since 2015. That was manageable from 2016-2019, when he played 13 games each season, but he has only played 17 games across the last three years. He's also 32, and while that isn't too old by any means, he certainly isn't getting any younger.
Another reason why the Cowboys could move on is the fact that they've seemingly already found a replacement at left tackle. Tyler Smith, a 2022 first-round pick, took over the position while Tyron Smith dealt with injury for much of the season and had a solid rookie campaign. This caused Tyron Smith to instead line up at right tackle once he returned in Week 15. While losing a starting right tackle would hurt, it isn't nearly as pivotal as left tackle. Besides, Tyron Smith's 59.8 PFF grade this season is more than replaceable.
Finally, and likely the most notable reason Dallas would cut Smith is due to his contract. While Smith's base salary is $13.6 million next season, none of it is guaranteed. This means that the Cowboys can save around $9.6 million by cutting him before June 1. That number jumps to $10.6 million if they cut him after June 1. With the cap crunch they are facing, that cap space may be too much to pass up.
Make no mistake, losing Smith would be a sad moment in Dallas. He has been with the team for over a decade and is one of the last remaining connections to the mid-2010s teams featuring Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant. However, that's the harsh reality of the NFL.
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