Ranking the Dallas Cowboys 10 best players on the roster

7. Tyron Smith, Left Tackle

Remember when everyone wanted to rip Dak Prescott for struggling while Ezekiel Elliott was suspended in 2017? Well, there was a big factor missing in that criticism. While it’s true Prescott, who was a second-year player at the time, was just 3-3 without Elliott, it was Tyron Smith who he really missed during that stretch.

Elliott missed Weeks 9-14 for the Cowboys and the first two games, they were also without Smith. Those two games included an embarrassing 27-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which was when Chaz Green surrendered five sacks, and a 37-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Smith returned for the next four games of Zeke’s suspension and suddenly Dallas went 3-1, even winning three-games in a row after their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11.

None of that is being said to negate the player Ezekiel Elliott is, because the running back is a stud. Instead, it’s meant to show that Tyron Smith is a player who the team relies heavily on and they know without him, things are much more difficult.

Dallas has done better in recent seasons when it comes to finding a decent reserve tackle, with Cameron Fleming taking on that role the past two seasons and Cameron Erving coming onboard for 2020. Even so, it’s hard to look at Smith and not consider him one of the best in the league at what he does.

Unfortunately, durability has become a concern with Smith. 2019 was the fourth season in a row he has missed three games and he has also missed time in others, or been forced to play at less than 100 percent due to injuries. For that reason, he just misses the top-five in Dallas, but should he shake the injury bug, he would be right back in the top three.