Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware says there’s only one offensive tackle in the league who can shut him down. Fortunately for the Cowboys, that happens in practice, not games.
Ware says Tyron Smith, the Cowboys’ 2011 first-round draft pick, has been making his life difficult in training camp, and has blocked him like no other NFL offensive lineman has.
“The crazy thing about Tyron is he’s the first guy that when you lock up with him, you can’t get off of him,” Ware said on KESN-FM, via the Dallas Morning News. “He’s the first guy to ever do that to me. That shows the strength he has and how quick he is on the inside. He’s a very good, young aggressive tackle. When you try to beat him inside, you can’t. He’s just that athletic. Cowboys fans don’t have anything to worry about. He’s getting the job done and working hard.”
Smith started all 16 games at right tackle last year and has moved to left tackle this year, and he won’t have to protect Tony Romo from many better pass rushers than Ware, who was second in the NFL with 19.5 sacks last season. Ware says Smith will make the transition to left tackle smoothly.
“When you think about a tackle that’s coming from the right side to the left side, it’s a different speed change, but the athleticism of Tyron and how he can latch on to you if you try to overpower him or when you go around the corner, he uses his hands really well,” Ware said. “Him being that left young tackle is what we need. We need him over there being aggressive. I beat him every once in a while, but he’s been doing his job.”
If Smith can do his job well against Ware, he can do it well against anyone in the NFL.