“I haven’t seen the film, but the fact that we gave up the one sack late in two minute, in the first half, I thought we pass protected a really good front,” Schottenheimer said. “I mean, I think three of the four losses they’ve had, they’ve only gotten one sack. And so we certainly; I thought protected Dak [Prescott] pretty well and he looked very comfortable.”
The decision to start Smith at left tackle was made earlier in the week, and regardless of where he lines up, Smith holds himself to the same expectations as he would if he were in his normal spot of left guard.
“The standard remains the standard for us,” Smith said. “Regardless of if you’re going right or you’re going left, or if you’re going to guard, tackle, the standard is going to be the same for me, and I’m going to hold myself to a high standard no matter what.”
According to Next Gen Stats, Smith was credited with five pressures allowed on 36 pass blocks, but did not give up a sack on Dak Prescott.
“It felt good,” Smith said on moving over one spot. “If you remember back in 2022, I was holding down the ship the whole year. So I think the biggest thing for me was getting out there and just being on my fundamentals and my technique and things of that nature. Ultimately, I think it’s about being the best at both, just being the best player I can be.”
While it felt good, that doesn’t mean it’s as simple as it looks.
“It’s not something easy to do, to switch from position to position especially not having those reps all year, but it’s something I’m able to do,” Smith said. “It’s something that I take a lot of pride in… as long as my fundamentals are good, as long as the basis of my technique is good, I can put myself in the best position to win whether it be at guard or tackle.”
The bigger question that looms from this for the Cowboys is whether or not Smith will be the starter at left tackle beyond the remainder of the 2025 season. Whatever the case may be, Smith will be ready, while also knowing that he signed a four-year, $96 million extension to become the highest paid guard in NFL history earlier in the offseason.
“Ultimately, I’m going to do what’s best for the team,” Smith said. “Also, I’m a smart player. I understand who I am, where I am and ultimately what I’m getting paid to do. So I’m going to be smart, we’ll have those conversations when we have those conversations.”
For quarterback Dak Prescott, there’s nothing that Smith can’t do, and the Cowboys are better because of it.
“Put him at center. He can do it all. We’re good at center, but honestly, I mean, he can play whatever he wants and that’s credit to that guy…” Prescott said. “There was no doubt of what he was going to be able to do and the way that he was going to play. I watched him obviously practice and just his intentionality and his approach. That’s a true football player and we’re blessed to have him on our side. He can play wherever we need him to.”
