The Washington Commanders face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 action this weekend. In Week 2, Washington goes back on the road against another NFC East foe, the Dallas Cowboys.
On Monday, we learned that the Cowboys will be without one of their best players for a few weeks. Left guard Tyler Smith will undergo thumb surgery that will keep him out of action for 4-6 weeks. With the Commanders facing Dallas in Week 2, that would rule Smith out.
Smith, a three-time Pro Bowl selection in his first four NFL seasons, signed a four-year extension last year that made him the highest-paid guard in NFL history at that time.
Who will play left guard for the Cowboys in Smith’s absence?
T.J. Bass, an undrafted free agent in 2023, has appeared in 48 games over
three NFL seasons for Dallas and made 10 starts. While Bass is not Smith, he’s a solid NFL backup. He earned a 67.6 overall grade from Pro Football Focus in 2025, which made him the 30th-ranked guard in the NFL. He also posted a 62.9 pass-blocking grade and a 65.8 run-blocking grade.
Outside of losing Smith, Dallas is relatively healthy heading into Week. The Cowboys are on the road in Week 1; there, they’ll face the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Cowboys' 3-time Pro Bowler to miss Week 2 vs. Commanders
