The Dallas Cowboys are making sure to retain some of their top talent for years to come.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys have offered a hefty new deal to offensive lineman Tyler Smith. The guard inked a four-year, $96 million dollar contract extension with the franchise, keeping him in Dallas through 2030. The whopping deal now makes Smith the highest-paid offensive guard in the league, with 81.2-million dollars guaranteed.
Smith has been a key factor on Dallas' offensive line from the very beginning of his professional career. The guard prepped at Tulsa and was selected by the Cowboys with the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He earned a starting nod from the very beginning and has since started in all 48 games that he has played in. With the retirement of storied lineman Zack Martin in the offseason, Smith has quickly risen as a leader in his position group.
Smiths' success hasn't come without some well-deserved recognition: he was named a 2023 Second-Team All-Pro left guard and has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons. This offseason, ESPN surveyed franchise executives, coaches and scouts from around the NFL to see who they thought the top 10 interior offensive linemen in the league were heading into the 2025 season. Smith came in at second place on the list, beaten only by Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 332 pounds, Smith has played a major role in protecting quarterback Dak Prescott and enhancing the Cowboys' rushing attack. He's cemented himself as the leader of an offensive line that has had its ups and downs, especially in 2024. Despite a down year for the franchise, PFF gave Smith a 76.0 pass-blocking grade -- the ninth-best ranking among all guards last season.
Smith had a solid start to his 2025 campaign, based on recently-released PFF grades. His overall grade of 62.4 placed him just above average and No. 28 out of 78 guards graded, and he was above average with a run blocking grade of 63.5. However, Smith underperformed somewhat in pass blocking, with a grade of 55.0 and a position rank of No. 59 out of 78 players.
Of note, Smith allowed two quarterback pressures in the Cowboys' Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but he gave up no hits or sacks in the contest.
The contract extension obviously benefits Smith immensely, but it also allows the Dallas front office to breathe a sigh of relief and continue building around a player who will stick with the franchise well into his prime.