Tyler Smith on position conversations, Tyler Booker’s second year, more – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Tyler Smith and the Cowboys appear to be on the same page.
FRISCO, Texas — In the final three games of the 2025 season, the Cowboys started All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith at left tackle. He replaced Nate Thomas, who had filled in the previous three weeks after Tyler Guyton suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 12 against the Eagles.
During those final three weeks, Smith made it clear he wanted to have a conversation with head coach Brian Schottenheimer on what the long-term plan was for Smith, who has
said he’s more comfortable at guard. The Cowboys also prefer Smith at guard, and it appears he is satisfied with the explanation he’s received about his future outlook.
“We had great conversations about it,” Smith said at the team’s charity home run derby last Thursday. “I have an understanding of what it is. That’s the most I can ask for is to just have that understanding early on. Obviously, I’ve got the utmost faith that we’re going to go out there and we’re going to do what we’re going to do. Ultimately, I’ll be in the position I need to be in. I’m good with where we’re at.”
Based on what history has shown us and everything Smith and the Cowboys have said, the likely scenario will be that the Cowboys play Smith at left guard and only move him to left tackle if it is necessary.
Defensive expert sets the record straight about new Dallas Cowboys defense and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence’s fit in it – Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
The promising rookie gets some high praise here.
Having two first round picks is kind of funny. Every Dallas Cowboys fan out there is beyond excited about Caleb Downs’ arrival and what he can become for the defense. When you’re perceived as one of the steals of the class, that’ll happen.
But edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, who was picked 13 spots later, comes with much less hype. And yet, you can expect him to make a Year 1 impact. Defensive guru and analyst Cody Alexander recently explained why during an interview on 105.3 The Fan.
Malachi Lawrence to make a big impact early on
Speaking on live radio, Alexander was asked which Cowboys rookie (excluding Downs) would make an impact the earliest. His answer came without hesitation.
“I look at Malachi Lawrence because I think there is an opportunity for an edge rusher in this,” Alexander explained. “I think a lot of people outside of [defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s] system probably think this is a system that wants to have these hybrid edges that they want to be able to drop into coverage.”
“And I think over time, one of the things that’s evolved from the system is that you realize those guys aren’t really helping you in coverage,” Alexander added. “I really need them to either be setting the edge in the run game or to actually get after the passer.”
Alexander’s point is massively important. With Parker expected to run a 3-4 defense, edge rushers will be outside linebackers. That alone leads many people to think edge rushers on the team will be versatile and not explosive off the edge.
Cowboys’ hidden George Pickens truth got flipped into loud reality – Lior Lampert, The Landry Hat
Are the Cowboys making a mistake by not giving George Pickens a long-term deal now?
The Dallas Cowboys are playing a dangerous waiting game with George Pickens
Are the Cowboys willing to sacrifice the goodwill they’ve worked diligently to build with Pickens since acquiring him last May to save some money? Do they understand that doing so could damage their relationship with the 2025 All-Pro? Drawing a line in the sand just carries the problem over into next offseason and hurts feelings along the way.
The Cowboys understandably prefer to see Pickens repeat his breakout season before making a significant investment in him. Conversely, he rightfully wants to strike while the iron is hot and secure a massive payday. Something must give, though Dallas is playing with fire by exercising patience and could suffer the consequences in the end, like Verderame articulated.
Delaying talks with Pickens isn’t worth the trouble if it causes a lot of static. The mercurial wideout’s immediate buy-in to the Cowboys allowed him to flourish from the outset. He’s a player whose emotions affect his performance, as Dallas experienced in the best way.
Pickens officially signed his $27.3 million fully guaranteed franchise tag for the 2026 campaign on April 29. He and the Cowboys have until July 15 to hammer out a multi-year pact. Meanwhile, the mercurial wideout reportedly wasn’t present for a recent voluntary team workout.
Emmitt Smith is confident in current Dallas Cowboys – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys
The Hall of Famer believes immensely in what Dallas has done to prepare for the 2026 season.
Emmitt Smith is pleased with this Cowboys offseason
A few weeks ago Darren Woodson sat down with Trey Wingo, this was shortly after the NFL draft and Caleb Downs’ arrival, and noted that things felt different with the Cowboys this offseason. To be clear, this was hardly a “things feel different” claim and more of a simple statement. Nobody was being over-the-top or silly.
In sitting down with Emmitt, who joined on behalf of his latest partnership with Bud Light, I wanted to start there. I wanted to know if he agreed with his longtime teammate and whether or not things do feel different in his mind.
“I think as we enter the summer months things do feel a little bit different. They’ve went ahead and did some things to bolster up the defense which I feel very good about. The key from this point forth I believe and I think we’re… we’ve done with the George Pickens stuff. I think we got George Pickens signed under a franchise tag and so forth which is the right thing to do in my opinion. And now you’ve taken away the sting of what will the Cowboys do. You’ve taken all the distractions off the table and giving the kids and the guys an opportunity to stay focused and locked in on the things that are very, very important, and that is not only learning the system gelling as an offense, and a defense, and a special teams unit, but coming together as a team fighting for one goal.
“And one goal in mind is to win the NFC East with an opportunity to get into the playoff and earn the right to go to the NFC Championship game and there you earn the right to go to the Super Bowl. And so if that focus right now is where we are, and it’s quiet, to me that’s a good sign. That’s a very good sign. That means that all the noise all the chatter everyone’s talking about this and that has nothing to do with what’s going on in that locker room. And right now all focus and all eyes should be what’s going on in that locker room. And so I feel like Darren Woodson, things do feel a little bit different. We did get some quality players in the draft… I think the Cowboys did a very good job of jumping up and grabbing the guy that we gathered in the first couple rounds. And so I I feel good about where things are.”
Did NFL give Cowboys a sneaky advantage in the 2026 schedule? – Joseph Hoyt, Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys certainly got a gift from the league.
FRISCO — The Cowboys‘ early schedule is daunting. There’s no getting around it. They’ll travel to New York, Houston and Rio de Janeiro in their first four weeks, finishing up with a stretch of three games in 11 days.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said last week they’ll “manage” that stretch. But will they also be rewarded for it?
Despite how the Cowboys’ schedule looks on the surface, it appears the scheduling wizards at the NFL did give the Cowboys a subtle advantage in their 2026 slate. The Cowboys will have 14 extra days of rest compared to their opponents this season, according to research from The Dallas Morning News.
The Cowboys only have a rest disadvantage in one game this season. The Arizona Cardinals — the team with the lowest odds to win the Super Bowl, according to DraftKings — have a one-day rest advantage against the Cowboys, though they do travel to AT&T Stadium.
Conversely, the Cowboys will have five games where they have a rest advantage against their opponents, including three games where they’ll have at least three days of more rest than their opponent. The added benefit: those three games are all against potential NFC playoff teams. The Cowboys will have three days of rest before a road game against the Green Bay Packers and and four days of rest before a Monday Night Football road game against the Seattle Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champions. They’ll have also six days of rest after their bye week before playing on the road against the Los Angeles Rams, the other team in the NFC Championship Game last season.
