Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith played only 31 of 73 offensive snaps Sunday night. He left with the ankle injury that limited in practice last week and had him questionable for the game.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on his weekly radio show that Smith is dealing with a bone spur in his ankle.
“We’ll have to see how Tyron practices. . . . We’ll take a look at that as it moves through,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Mark Lane of WFAA. “We should and will practice with alternatives to him being out there. But it will really depend on how he does, again, respond to a spur that’s giving him some anxiety right now — not anxiety, just giving him some pain.”
La’el Collins has not had any work at left tackle, so that’s why Ty Nsekhe replaced Smith on Sunday night. Nsekhe is a candidate for the job if Smith can’t start this week, but the Cowboys also could move right tackle Terence Steele to left tackle and have Collins return to starting at right tackle.
The good news for the Cowboys is they won’t have pass rusher Von Miller to deal with after the Broncos dealt him to the Rams on Monday.
“I don’t have to worry about him this week,” McCarthy said Monday. “That is definitely nice. Those long-term thoughts (about possibly facing him in the postseason) always take care of themselves.”
Smith missed only one game his first five seasons. The seven-time Pro Bowler missed 26 the past five seasons but has started every game this season.
He underwent neck surgery last season, costing him 14 games, and the Cowboys added him to the practice report Oct. 14 with a neck injury. It did not keep Smith out of any games, though.
Smith has not played a full season since 2015.