Cowboys three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Smith to undergo thumb surgery, out 4-6 weeks

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys will be without three-time Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith for the next four to six weeks. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced on Monday that Smith will undergo surgery on his left thumb on Tuesday, which will result in his placement on injured reserve, designated to return. That comes with a four- to six-week return period. Dr. Steven Shin will perform Smith’s surgery.

“At the end of the day, I felt like he couldn’t do the things that he had to do at a high level,” Schottenheimer said Monday. “This is a long season, and it’s unfortunate. But that’s why we coveted T.J. Bass. … I think he’s played a lot of really good football for us, and we expect he’ll continue to do so.”

Schottenheimer said the left thumb had been bothering Smith all of training camp, but he couldn’t pinpoint a specific moment where the injury occurred.

“It’s just one of those deals that at the end of the day, we made the decision that we all did, that the best thing is to get in front of this thing. It’s a long season, let’s go get it fixed,” Schottenheimer said. “I think at the end of the day, you always see if you can play through these things. He’s done things like that, like a lot of guys out there do. Unfortunately, when you’re an offensive lineman, grip strength and things like that are really important. We know he’s a quick healer, and we want to get it fixed. He’ll be back before too long.”

Smith will be replaced by fourth-year, undrafted veteran T.J. Bass, 27 years old, as the starting left guard. Bass has played in 48 games since 2023 with 10 starts, 5 of which came in 2025. Dallas valued him so highly that they placed a second-round tender on him in restricted free agency. He’s allowed just two sacks and 15 quarterback pressures on 568 career pass-blocking snaps.

“Ton of confidence. Tyler Smith is a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J.,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s put great film on here. He’s played next to [center] Cooper Beebe, played next to [left tackle Tyler] Guyton. That’s nothing new, the communication and all that stuff. We tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player, and he’s a damn good football player.”

Depending on how quickly Smith heals from his left thumb surgical procedure on Tuesday, he could return for “Thursday Night Football” against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5 or at the Green Bay Packers on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 6.

Possible landing spots for veteran receiver

In a surprising move, the New York Giants have released veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton less than a week before their season-opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Slayton, 29, was the Giants’ longest-tenured player and was slated to make $13 million this season. A fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Slayton caught 296 of 522 targets for 4,435 yards and 22 touchdowns during his time with Big Blue.

While he never became a star in New York, Slayton was nonetheless a solid and consistent player, especially for a former late-round pick. He’s had four seasons with at least 700 receiving yards and averaged an impressive 15 yards per catch during his time in New York.

Slayton is coming off his least productive season to date. In 14 games, he caught 37 of 63 targets for 538 yards and a score. He had just one game with over 50 receiving yards during his final six games of the 2025 season.

Despite last year’s numbers, Slayton will probably be picked up by another NFL team sooner rather than later. A former team captain, Slayton has a proven track record and, over the years, has displayed the ability to execute his role as a complementary player without needing more of the spotlight.

Here’s a rundown of some of Slayton’s possible landing spots.

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Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were the first team that came to mind following the news of Slayton’s release. The Colts still have Alec Pierce, but they lost Michael Pittman when they traded him to the Steelers during the offseason. The Colts recently signed veteran Keenan Allen, who was arrested late last month for suspected DUI.

At the least, signing Slayton would give the Colts some added depth at receiver, which is something they desperately need.

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New York Jets
The Big Apple’s other team also quickly came to mind upon hearing the news of Slayton’s release. Like the Colts, the Jets could also use some added depth at receiver to help complement their top receiver, Garrett Wilson.

Signing Slayton would also potentially take some of the pressure off of Omar Cooper Jr., the 30th overall pick in April’s draft. Slayton’s veteran leadership and experience could aid Cooper as he transitions from college to the NFL.

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New Orleans Saints
The Saints’ receiving corps recently took a hit when rookie first-round pick Jordyn Tyson was placed on injured reserve after sustaining a right hamstring injury during a joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tyson is expected to be out for about two months.

With Tyson out, rookie fourth-round pick Bryce Lance is slated to start alongside veteran Chris Olave and Devaughn Vele. While Slayton probably wouldn’t take his spot (at least right away), he could nonetheless take some of the pressure off of Lance while giving second-year quarterback Tyler Shough another viable option in the passing game.

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San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers signed Buccaneers legend Mike Evans and re-signed Deebo Samuel after losing Jauan Jennings to the Vikings in free agency and amid the continuous absence of Brandon Aiyuk, who appears to have played his final down with San Francisco, if not in the NFL.

San Francisco could still use some reinforcements at the position after former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a knee injury. Slayton would give the 49ers much-needed depth while complementing the rest of the team’s skill players.

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New England Patriots
The defending AFC champions make sense for multiple reasons, starting with Mike Vrabel’s recent acknowledgment that his team isn’t very deep. Signing Slayton would help the Patriots make up for the recent departure of Kayshon Boutte, who was traded to the Houston Texans. Slayton could also help take some of the attention off of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs while giving Drake Maye another proven pass-catcher.

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Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys already have CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but another proven receiver would likely be welcome in Dallas’ pass-heavy offense. The Cowboys — who play the Giants in Week 1 — could also sign Slayton for intel purposes. Slayton could give Dallas some insight into new Giants coach John Harbaugh’s offense.

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Tennessee Titans
Tennessee makes sense for two reasons. The Titans need some help at receiver, and, in Nashville, Slayton would be reunited with Tennessee offensive coordinator and former Giants coach Brian Daboll. Two of Slayton’s best seasons were during Daboll’s time as Giants coach.