Cowboys' $96 Million Wall Tyler Smith Needs Thumb Surgery, Out 4-6 Weeks

The Dallas Cowboys just watched their $96 million investment head straight to the operating table.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith is scheduled for thumb surgery on Tuesday. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer expects his star lineman to be sidelined for four to six weeks.

"Adam Schefter reported the 4-6 week timeline via Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer."

Losing your best offensive lineman in early September is the exact opposite of how you want to start a season. Dallas just backed up the Brinks truck for Smith, handing him a four-year, $96 million extension to make him the highest-paid guard in the NFL. You do not pay a guy that kind of money to hold a clipboard while wearing a cast.

This is a massive headache for anyone holding Dallas futures tickets or looking at early-season team totals. The Cowboys already have the fourth-most travel miles in the league this year, logging nearly 28,000 miles with trips to the West Coast and Rio de Janeiro. Trying to navigate that kind of brutal schedule without the anchor of your offensive line is a recipe for blown protections and stalled drives.

Smith is the ultimate duct-tape guy for this roster. Whenever left tackle Tyler Guyton goes down with an injury, Smith is the one who bumps outside to save the day. Now, Dallas has a glaring hole on the interior and zero safety net on the edge.

Dak Prescott is heading into his 11th season and needs a clean pocket to operate. Without his All-Pro guard, Prescott is going to be seeing defensive tackles in his lap before the leaves even start changing colors.

The Cowboys now have to scramble to patch together a starting five for the first month and a half of the season. If the backup plan fails, that four-to-six-week window is going to feel like an absolute eternity in Dallas.