While left guard Tyler Smith and pass rusher Sam Williams were quickly identified as the next priorities following the announcement of cornerback DaRon Bland‘s extension, it seemed like those deals might be destined for dates further off as the regular season fast approached. Smith had remarked that “everything will happen in due time,” and due time may be sooner than expected. 
According to Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS, Dallas is still working towards a long-term deal for Smith, and that deal could reportedly be a record-setting one. After watching wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott sign extensions more expensive than they needed to be as the Cowboys reacted to a market set by deals done earlier in the offseason last year, and after watching Micah Parsons depart in part due to the team’s lack of urgency in working towards legitimate negotiations, it would be extremely satisfying to watch Dallas set the market before it has a chance to inflate.
The Cowboys exercised Smith’s fifth-year option before the draft, ensuring that he’d be under contract for at least the next two seasons, but considering how the option groups interior linemen and tackles in the formula determining the fifth-year salary, it’s unlikely that Dallas will allow Smith to play out his fifth season under the option. More likely, the option was picked up as a sign of dedication to getting an extension worked out sooner rather than later.
To clarify about Smith’s expected deal being potentially record-setting, it would likely only set a record among interior offensive linemen. Left tackles tend to pace the market, and Chargers tackle Rashawn Slater leads the NFL currently with an average annual value of $28.5MM. The highest-paid right tackle isn’t far behind, though, as Detroit’s Penei Sewell slots in at $28MM per year. The highest-paid guard, though, doesn’t show up until after eight tackles have been listed, with Chiefs guard Trey Smith making $23.5MM per year on average.
Now, there’s a couple reasons why a potential deal may set a new mark among guards. First off, in only three years of play, Smith already has three accolades to his name as a two-time Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro, all earned during the two seasons in which he started at guard. Another reason is the fact that he has a season in which he didn’t start at guard; as a rookie expecting to play guard, Smith stepped in for an injured Tyron Smith to start every game of the season but one at left tackle.
Smith can lean on analytics, as well, to support his case. As a rookie unexpectedly starting as Prescott’s blindside blocker, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Smith as the league’s 25th-best tackle out of 81 players graded at the position. When he bumped back in to guard in his sophomore campaign, PFF slotted him in at 11th of 79. He followed that up last year with a ranking of 15th out of 77 guards. Despite the varying relative position rankings, Smith’s overall grades have been consistently strong and have improved year after year.
Not only is Smith among the cream of the crop at his normal position, but the 24-year-old has also proven he can play at a high level as a tackle if need be. Smith is young and talented and likely has room to grow yet. In a league that has seen its strongest teams win big by winning in the trenches, Dallas would do well to lock Smith down before he shows just how big of a contract he could get on the open market or before some other guards push the market ceiling up higher than it is now.