FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys needed offensive tackle depth after a Eight-time Pro Bowler Tyron Smith ruled out with injury at least until December.
Who better to replace eight-time Pro Bowler Smith? The Cowboys sign the Pro Bowl left tackle nine times — despite being 40 now — for later depth.
Jason Peters, who played 15 games with Chicago last season after 11 years with the Eagles, signed with the Cowboys on Monday and began integrating into practice. Dallas signed Peters to their practice squad as he acclimates to a new team.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy praised Peters’ ability on the court and his wealth of knowledge to get off the hook.
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“You have a chance to watch the video, obviously you have tremendous respect for what Jason has accomplished throughout his career,” McCarthy said Monday. “It’s about adding depth and bringing another great player into your program. … We have a lot of young offensive linemen who will benefit from his mentorship.
Signing Peters doesn’t change expectations for the Cowboys’ Week 1 starter on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. First-round rookie Tyler Smith, who played left tackle in college but left guard in training camp, should get the nod. Peters said he needed a few weeks to acclimate to the pads and helmet after doing lifting and cardio through August. He said he would accept a starter or depth role, “whatever they ask of me”.
“If Smith gets in there and starts rolling and they want to keep him, I’m just going to help him out,” Peters said. “I’m not a guy who’s going to feel anything if I don’t start. If they ask me to start, I’ll go in there and go to work.”
The veteran began coaching the rookie on Monday just hours after signing. In practice, Smith said Peters shared tips on improving his stance, takeoff and hand placement.
“It’s more about adding a future Hall of Famer to your football team,” McCarthy said of what Peters’ signing means for the rookie’s spot in the starting lineup.
Signing Peters doesn’t change expectations for the Cowboys’ Week 1 starter on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. First-round rookie Tyler Smith, who played left tackle in college but left guard in training camp, should get the nod then.
“For me, those are two separate topics,” McCarthy said of what signing Peters for the rookie spot in the starting lineup means. “It’s more about adding a future Hall of Famer to your football team.”
Tyron Smith broke his knee and tore his hamstrings during training on August 24. He had to have surgery and shouldn’t be cured until at least December. Tyler Smith has started practicing left tackle again after the veteran’s injury, saying his job at left guard training camp used similar footwork and technique as he used the same kicking leg and the same source of energy production that the left tackle would require.
“He’s got everything we hoped for and more when we drafted him,” owner/GM Jerry Jones said Friday in an interview with Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “That’s exactly what we drafted him for, to come in and be the left tackle. And, so, he’s had a really exceptional side. All the things are there. Do I wish we had Tyron (Smith)? Yes. Will we get Tyron back? Likely. But in the meantime, he’s coming and he’s going to get a doctorate from Harvard in left tackle by then.
“Are we going to pay the price? Yes. Can we win with him by paying the price? I think so.
With little offensive line depth, the Cowboys still brought Peters on a visit last week. On Friday, the Texas native underwent a physical and encounters including Jones.
In 17 seasons, Peters played in 228 regular season games with 218 starts, mostly at left tackle (he played at right tackle in 2004-06). The Eagles’ 11-year stint from Peters included a Super Bowl championship.
Joining a longtime NFC East rival – Peters once called the Cowboys arrogant – he said Dallas was more “arrogant” than “arrogant”, adding that he and Jones bonded over their time. on the Arkansas football team.
Tyron Smith last played 13+ games in 2015. But he played at a high level when healthy.
All-Pro right guard Zack Martin told Tyler Smith no one expected him to immediately emulate Dallas’ first-round selection in 2011. The Cowboys’ youngest offensive line in more than a decade s will press seventh-year quarterback Dak Prescott to uplift those around and in front of him.
Prescott highlighted his own sudden start to Week 1 as a fourth-round rookie in 2016 and then led the Cowboys to an NFC-best 13-3 record.
“So if there’s anyone who supports the next man and about that mentality, it’s me,” Prescott said. “When you meet Tyler, you hang out with Tyler, you see the competitor, the fighter, just the football player in him, that guts. And that’s what I expect to come out.
