After playing right tackle throughout college and as an NFL rookie last year, Tyron Smith is moving to the left side of the Cowboys’ offensive line. And Cowboys coach Jason Garrett has nothing but positive things to say about how Smith is working at his new position.
“My observations are that he’s handled it very well,” Garrett said, via Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “If you remember, Tyron last year was a 20-year-old [rookie] on Day 1. The first play of the first practice, he was our starting right tackle, and he handled that well. We went to play the Jets in the first game and a really challenging defense, good players, really good scheme, difficult to play against, and he really didn’t blink. That’s been his history.”
The Cowboys spent the ninth overall pick on Smith in last year’s draft with the idea that he’d eventually be their starting left tackle, even though he spent his entire USC career at right tackle. (Matt Kalil, drafted fourth overall by the Vikings this year, beat Smith out for the left tackle spot in college.) Garrett said Smith is ready for the move now.
“We said. ‘Ty, we’re going to move you to left.’ He said, ‘OK.’ He started getting in a left-handed stance and started setting that way,” Garrett said. “He seems to be doing well. He’s a serious-minded kid. He works very hard. He’s physically tough. He’s mentally tough. I think he has some deep-down confidence, which is a really important thing and rightfully so. He’s a guy who never thinks it’s right. He’s a guy who’s always working a little after practice and always trying to refine it, and we think that’s a good thing, too. He’s got a long way to go over there, but he’s going about it the right way.”
Tony Romo will need Smith to keep going about it the right way.