Tyler Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler and left guard for the Dallas Cowboys, will be sidelined for the next four to six weeks due to thumb surgery. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced that Smith will undergo the procedure on his left thumb, leading to his placement on injured reserve, designated to return. The surgery, performed by Dr. Steven Shin, comes after Smith struggled with the injury throughout training camp.

Schottenheimer expressed the necessity of the surgery, stating, "At the end of the day, I felt like he couldn't do the things that he had to do at a high level. This is a long season, and it's unfortunate. But that's why we coveted T.J. Bass." He emphasized the importance of grip strength for offensive linemen, acknowledging that Smith's ability to play through the injury had been compromised.

In Smith's absence, T.J. Bass, a 27-year-old undrafted veteran, will step in as the starting left guard. Bass has played in 48 games since 2023, starting 10, and has demonstrated solid performance, allowing only two sacks and 15 quarterback pressures on 568 career pass-blocking snaps.

Ton of confidence. Tyler Smith is a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J.,

Depending on Smith's recovery, he may return for the Thursday Night Football matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 or during the Sunday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 6.