Is Tyler Smith Actually Worth His New Record-Breaking Contract?
The Cowboys just offered a blockbuster deal for their young offensive line anchor. At just 24 years old, Tyler Smith has now secured the richest contract ever handed to an interior offensive lineman. But when big money is tossed around in Dallas, the natural next question is, is this move worth it?
Contracts of this size aren’t made in a vacuum. Timing, injuries, retirements, and front-office gambles shape them. In Smith’s case, the Cowboys had already extended Jake Ferguson, Hunter Luepke, and DaRon Bland earlier in the offseason. Each was a solid piece to lock in, but Smith’s deal instantly towered over the rest. Jerry Jones didn’t mince words about why.
A Rare Building Block At Guard
Smith’s journey with Dallas began in 2022 when the team used a first-round pick on him. His rookie season was a crash course in flexibility as he shifted from guard to tackle after Tyron Smith went down in camp. When 2023 came, he had settled at left guard, where his impact began to turn heads. After two Pro Bowl nods and an All-Pro selection, he established himself as one of the top interior linemen in the league.
The numbers back up the eye test. He’s started every game he has played in. In 2024, he became the fourth Cowboys lineman to earn multiple Pro Bowl selections within his first three years, joining legends like Larry Allen and Zack Martin. That’s the kind of company that makes owners comfortable with handing out massive checks.
Now, he’s stepping into the leadership role vacated by Martin’s retirement. Losing Martin and Tyron Smith in the same offseason was a seismic shift. Those two were locker-room pillars. Tyler Smith has now been thrust into that role at an age where most players are still finding their voice, and he has quickly embraced it.
During the offseason work, he was already organizing cookouts and pulling rookies Tyler Booker and Tyler Guyton into the fold. He trained with them throughout the spring. On the field, he’s just as steady. Against the Giants, with center Cooper Beebe sidelined by a foot injury that will keep him out six to eight weeks, Smith shouldered more responsibility in pre-snap communication.
Cowboys’ owner Jones sees Smith as one of the best young linemen in football and a player with the potential to hold down the position for the next decade.
Money, Timing, And The Cowboys’ Gamble
The deal is four years, $96 million, with $81.2 million guaranteed. That edges out Trey Smith’s contract with the Chiefs, signed in July, and makes the Cowboys guard the highest-paid at his position in NFL history. The team had already exercised his fifth-year option through 2026, so this extension keeps him in Dallas until 2030.
Timing matters here because just last month, Dallas traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay. This eyebrow-raising move shifted focus to how the Cowboys would build their roster identity going forward. Signing Smith, Bland, and Ferguson to long-term deals signaled that the Cowboys wanted to strengthen the foundation around quarterback Dak Prescott.
While offensive linemen don’t get jersey sales or highlight reels, they do determine whether an offense succeeds. Protecting Prescott and creating lanes for a rushing attack that has leaned on multiple backs isn’t optional. Jerry Jones knew this when he said Smith was a “must” to extend.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been open about his strategy: culture starts with the offensive line. And Smith is the one tasked with making that culture stick.
Praise From Legends And Teammates
Image via Wikimedia Commons/All-Pro Reels
It’s one thing for coaches to hype a player. It’s another when the ones who’ve played next to him, and who already hold gold jackets in their future, call him special. Tyron Smith said back in April that Tyler had “the potential to be one of the greats” and highlighted his relentless work ethic. Martin echoed that sentiment before stepping away from the game.
Current voices are just as loud, like Schottenheimer’s, who has flat-out called him the best guard in football. Prescott said he represents exactly what an offensive lineman should be. These compliments are markers of trust in the trenches.
Even Smith’s own attitude tells the story. After the deal was announced, Smith told his coach his only goal was to beat the Giants. Later, when asked about a dream purchase, he simply answered: the Lombardi Trophy.
Is The Price Worth It?
So, does the math add up? On paper, yes. Guard may not be the flashiest position, but paying top dollar to keep a young, elite player under contract through his prime years is rarely a bad idea. The Cowboys are betting that Smith will be the linchpin of an offensive line that now includes young first-rounders and second-year players. Without him, that group could crumble. With him, it has a chance to grow into one of the league’s best.