Tyron Smith

OT Tyron Smith Considering Retirement

January 7th, 2025 at 5:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyron Smith‘s illustrious career may soon be coming to an end. The veteran offensive tackle revealed today that he’s considering retirement, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

“I’ve got to make a lot of decisions going forward,” Smith said. “Within the next couple weeks, I have to decide what I’m going to do as far as playing or not playing.”

Smith’s first season with the Jets ended in November after he suffered a neck injury that required an extended stay on injured reserve. Smith revealed that his flirtation with retirement isn’t related to his growing list of injuries, with the OT also noting that he’s regained “full range of motion” in his neck.

Following a 13-year stay in Dallas, the Jets recruited Smith to New York this past offseason. The offensive tackle was accompanied by his fair share of risk, as the lineman hasn’t made it through a season unscathed since 2015. This included a recent stretch where Smith missed 37 games between 2020 and 2023.

Naturally, the Jets filled their contract with incentives, as the $6MM pact could reach a $20MM value based on playing time. As Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com notes, the Jets recently cleaned up their books and paid off some of those incentives as bonuses. Now, instead of letting the veteran’s contract void out, the team would likely designate Smith as a post-June 1 cut, allowing them to defer some of the owed money to 2026.

Things obviously didn’t work out for the Jets nor Smith in 2024, but the team can rest easy knowing they have their future LT on the roster. First-round pick Olu Fashanu filled in for Smith at the position down the stretch and will be penciled into the starting lineup heading into the offseason.

NFL Contract Notes: Henry, Barkley, Smith, Reddick, Hubbard

December 1st, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been enjoying a phenomenal first season in Baltimore. The team signed him to a two-year, $16MM deal that saw him receive $9MM in cash in the first year. Henry’s deal also came with five $500K incentives.

His incentives are maxed out at $2MM, so he can only cash in on four of those five incentives, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. So far this year, Henry has hit on three incentives: 1,200 rushing yards, 13 total touchdowns, and 15 total touchdowns.

The remaining two incentives would require him to reach 1,500 rushing yards or would require the team to win the Super Bowl. While the Ravens still have a ways to go in order to get to the big game, Henry only needs 93 yards in the team’s final four games in order to max out his incentives.

Here are a few other contract notes from around the NFL:

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley also is tracking down some incentives. Smartly, none of Barkley’s incentives revolve around rushing touchdowns, thanks to the infamous “tush push,” per Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. Barkley will earn $250K if he reaches 1,500 scrimmage yards (he’s 36 yards away from that total after today’s game in Baltimore) and an additional $250K if he reaches 2,000. Additionally, each incentive acts as an escalator for next year’s base salary, adding a potential $1MM to his total contract value. He also would receive $250K for a second-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection and $500K for a first-team All-Pro selection. That incentive would act as an escalator for next year, as well. Lastly, Barkley would earn $250K each for victories in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.
Jets left tackle Tyron Smith may have just been placed on injured reserve, but his health up to that point had been paying dividends. His recent injury history required him to settle for a heavily incentivized contract with only $6.5MM in base salary and $12MM in playing time incentives. By playing every snap through nine games, Smith essentially qualified for the 50% of offensive snaps threshold that earns him $2.75MM. Every additional game after that would essentially net him an additional $1MM, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, with the final five games being worth $1.25MM per week. Unfortunately, he only fit one game in before moving to IR. He could make his way back to earn a couple more incentives, but New York may prefer to get an extended look at their tackle of the future, Olu Fashanu, instead.
Also in New York, pass rusher Haason Reddick still has an opportunity to earn some playing time incentives after ending his holdout, per Cimini. Through the four games (before today) Reddick has appeared in, he has played 179 of 275 defensive snaps, good for about 43 percent. If he can keep that percentage over 40, he’ll earn a $791,628 incentive bonus, but his last two games have seen him only play 37 percent of the team’s snaps, so that bonus may be in danger. Reddick could also earn a $500K bonus if he reaches eight sacks, but with only 0.5 sacks through five games with only five more remaining, that incentive feels out of reach.
Lastly, we saw the Panthers reward running back Chuba Hubbard with a recent four-year, $33.2MM extension. Per our friends at OvertheCap.com, the deal comes with a signing bonus of $7.71MM and only sees the first year’s base salary guaranteed.

Jets Place Tyron Smith On Injured Reserve

November 30th, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Jets placed left tackle Tyron Smith on injured reserve, per a team announcement, sidelining him for at least four games.

Smith started the Jets’ first 10 games this season before suffering a neck injury in Week 10 that held him out of New York’s Week 11 loss to the Colts.

The Jets will now turn to No. 11 overall pick Olu Fashanu to start at left tackle, potentially for the rest of the year. Smith is on a one-year, $6.5MM deal with additional incentives that New York will not have to pay if he doesn’t return to the field. Even if Smith is healthy enough to be activated from injured reserve before the end of the regular season, the Jets may prefer to save some money and stick with Fashanu at left tackle to continue his development into next year.

Smith has played 592 snaps so far this season, so he will earn at least a few of his playing-time incentives. The Jets have played 676 offensive snaps in 11 games, so they are on track for just under 1,050 snaps on the season. Even if Smith doesn’t play again this year, he should hit his 38%, 44%, 50%, and 56% benchmarks to receive a total of $3.75MM. He won’t be able to earn all of his remaining incentives – which scale up to a 98% snap share, Jets playoff wins, and a Pro Bowl selection – but a late-season return could earn him some additional playing-time money.

The Jets activated offensive lineman Xavier Newman-Johnson off injured reserve to take Smith’s place on the 53-man roster. Newman-Johnson injured his neck in Week 7 after playing 11 snaps in relief of Alijah Vera-Tucker, who left the game with an ankle injury. He will return to a backup role along the interior of the offensive line.

The Jets also elevated running back and return specialist Kene Nwangwu from the practice squad for their Week 13 matchup with the Seahawks.

Jets’ Tyron Smith Likely Heading To IR?

November 27th, 2024 at 11:12am CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries continued to intervene during Tyron Smith‘s lengthy second Cowboys contract, playing a central role in why he remained attached to an eight-year deal over its duration. While the accomplished left tackle has been generally available for the Jets, that appears likely to change soon.

Interim Jets HC Jeff Ulbrich said Smith’s neck injury is not healing like the team hoped, calling him (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) “definitely becoming” an IR candidate. Smith has missed only one game this season, marking a better attendance rate than he usually produces. With the Jets disappointing this season, it would make sense if Smith was ultimately shelved.

Smith, 33, went down during the Jets’ Week 10 loss to the Cardinals and missed their Week 11 contest. The former Cowboys staple has missed 49 games since the start of the 2016 season. IR stays have not been too common for Smith, who has fought through nagging injuries for the most part. That said, Smith did miss most of the 2020 and ’22 seasons. The first of those extended IR stints came about because of a neck injury.

After playing two games for the Cowboys in 2020, Smith ended up needing neck surgery. He did return in time for the 2021 slate, a Pro Bowl season, and also bounced back from his 2022 hamstring injury to earn second-team All-Pro acclaim last season. But Smith has run into steady trouble on the injury front, affecting his value on this year’s market.

Then-Jets GM Joe Douglas was surprised Smith accepted a one-year, $6.5MM offer to become New York’s left tackle. He has excelled in the run game with New York, rating first in pass block win rate. He has also been charged with five sacks allowed during his 14th NFL season. With the Jets set to reboot (most likely without Aaron Rodgers) in 2025, it would appear Smith will also need to look for a new home.

As Smith moves closer to another free agency run, an IR stay would stand to hurt both his present and future values. Due to the injury past, the Jets designed a contract based largely on playing time-based incentives. Smith has cleared the first hurdle here (a 38% offensive snap share) and has done well to earn $1MM escalators for hitting the 44% and 50% snap thresholds this season. Smith can earn $1MM more by reaching the 56%, 62%, 68%, 74%, 80%, 86% and 92% benchmarks. An IR stay would restrict him from entering the upper reaches of this tiered structure while also likely giving 2025 suitors pause.

The 2011 first-round pick is likely on his way to the Hall of Fame, but the run of injuries also could prompt him to consider walking away a bit sooner than expected. Before this year’s incentives are factored in, Smith has earned more than $131MM during his career.

Jets’ Tyron Smith Suffers Neck Injury

November 10th, 2024 at 5:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Starting left tackle Tyron Smith is doubtful to return to the Jets’ Week 10 matchup with the Cardinals due to a neck injury, according to a team announcement.

Smith played left tackle for every Jets offensive snap this season until his injury on Sunday. He was replaced by rookie Olumuyiwa Fashanu, who was drafted by New York with the 11th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Fashanu started two games at right tackle this year and played 37 snaps at right guard in Week 9.

Smith signed with the Jets in March to give Aaron Rodgers a proven blindside protector for his second year in New York. Though the team still drafted Fashanu to be a potential franchise left tackle, Smith’s presence ensured that the Jets did not have to risk Rodgers’ health behind a rookie lineman.

Additionally, cornerback Brandin Echols is out for the remainder of Week 10 with a concussion.

The 2021 sixth-rounder played in the Jets’ first nine games with starts in Week 2 and Week 7 and a key role on special teams. As a pending free agent, he garnered some trade interest ahead of last week’s deadline.

Jets To Manage LT Tyron Smith’s Training Camp Workload

June 24th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Entering the offseason, questions were in place regarding how the Jets would proceed along the offensive line. Both tackle spots have seen veteran additions, although in the case of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses injuries remain a concern.

Smith established himself as one of the league’s top blindside protectors over the course of his 13-year Cowboys tenure. That period was frequently marred by injuries, however, and the 2010s All-Decade team member last played more than 13 games in a season in 2015. Smith inked a one-year, incentive-laden Jets deal in March.

The 33-year-old is on track to serve as New York’s left tackle starter, an important position considering quarterback Aaron Rodgers is coming off an Achilles tear which sidelined him for essentially his entire debut season with the Jets. Smith’s workload during training camp will be an important factor in his ability to acclimate to his new team. To little surprise, though, the Jets will proceed with caution in his case.

New York will include several rest days in Smith’s practice schedule this summer, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The eight-time Pro Bowler has missed 37 games across the past four years, appearing in just two contests in 2020 and four in 2022. Remaining healthy would be a critical development for team and player, although the Jets did use their top pick in this year’s draft on tackle Olu Fashanu as a future left tackle starter capable of seeing time as a rookie if needed.

Smith – who had discussions with the Cowboys about a new deal but did not come close on financial terms – will of course help his free agent value with a strong season. A key first step in that regard will be remaining on the field for most of the 2024 campaign, and a training camp regimen aimed at preserving him would mirror the approach Dallas used last year while increasing his chances of being effective down the stretch.

As Rosenblatt notes, Moses (re-acquired to handle right tackle duties) did not practice this spring as he recovers from pectoral surgery. Guard Alijah Vera-Tucker meanwhile, is rehabbing from an Achilles tear although there is optimism he will be ready for the start of the season. There will likely be few practices this summer where all five projected Jets O-line starters are on the field at the same time, but in Smith’s case at least that will be by choice.

Jets, Cowboys Were “Main Options” For Tyron Smith

March 23rd, 2024 at 9:28am CST by Ben Levine

Before Tyron Smith caught on with the Jets via free agency, the left tackle considered returning to the Cowboys for a 14th season. During his introductory videoconference with the Jets on Thursday, Smith admitted that the Cowboys and Jets were his “main options.” The lineman also seemed to hint that there weren’t many suitors lining up for his services.

“I’m not going to lie, it was slightly stressful a little bit,” Smith said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “I’ve never been in that spot before. I didn’t know how to handle it, and it went by for a week, but I just felt like it was forever.

“The way things were looking in Dallas, I knew it was most likely going to be the Jets. Honestly, I got excited for a new chapter in my life.”

We heard in early March that Smith and the Cowboys were discussing a new deal, but the veteran started to consider other options when negotiations failed to progress. There were reports that the two sides were “drastically apart in the financial framework” of a new contract. Smith ended up accepting an incentive-laden contract to protect Aaron Rodgers in New York. The lineman will anchor a new-look offensive line that also features newcomers John Simpson and Morgan Moses.

“I just feel like they have all the pieces together right now, and they’re getting the final pieces this offseason to produce a team that can go all the way,” Smith said of his decision to ultimately sign in New York.

Injuries were the story during Smith’s long stint in Dallas, with the lineman missing at least three games each season since 2015. Despite the absences, Smith was still among the best OTs in the NFL when healthy. This past season, Pro Football Focus graded him as the fourth-best offensive tackle, including a position-leading pass-block score. His 13-game campaign in 2023 earned him his fifth career All-Pro nod.

The Jets will likely prioritize Smith’s late-season health as they eye a long playoff run. The lineman told reporters that he’s feeling “great” and didn’t end the 2023 campaign with any notable injuries. This uptick in health followed a revised practice regimen in Dallas, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Jets follow a similar template in 2024.

LT Tyron Smith Signs With Jets

March 19th, 2024 at 8:05pm CST by Ely Allen

MARCH 19: Albert Breer of SI.com provides even more insight on Smith’s incentives. That aforementioned 38-percent snap count will unlock a $750K bonus, and Smith will earn $1MM bonuses for appearing in 44 percent, 50 percent, 56 percent, 62 percent, and 68 percent of his team’s offensive snaps. There are then five subsequent $1.25MM playing-time incentives (74, 80, 86, 92, 98). Smith can earn another $250K for each Jets playoff win and $500K for making the Pro Bowl.

MARCH 16: Smith’s contract with the Jets is based heavily on incentives. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com passed along last night that $6.5MM of the offensive tackle’s one-year deal is guaranteed. The rest of the $13.5MM can be earned via incentives. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo provides some more insight, noting that Smith will need to play in at least 38 percent of New York’s offensive snaps for the playing-time incentives to kick in.

MARCH 15: The Jets are set to make the final addition necessary to their offensive line as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that former Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith intends to sign with New York. Smith is set to join a retooled offensive line designed to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports quickly followed up the report, claiming that Smith confirmed the signing of a one-year deal with the Jets.

Smith has enjoyed what is likely to end up being a Hall of Fame career over the last 13 years in Dallas. While the 33-year-old’s health has made it a struggle to stay on the field for an entire season, that hasn’t stopped Smith from displaying some of the best football of his storied career. In 2023, Smith delivered a season worthy of second-team All-Pro honors. The Cowboys claimed to have found a practice plan that helped to keep him healthier last season, so Smith should be able to bring that plan with him to New York in 2024.

With Smith officially no longer returning to Dallas, the Cowboys will have to figure out a new solution at left tackle. The easy answer is Tyler Smith. Though the younger Smith started every game at left guard this year, the team drafted him in the first round out of Tulsa two years ago to eventually replace Tyron. As Tyron struggled with injury throughout the 2022 season, Tyler spent his rookie year excelling as the starter at left tackle. He should be able to slide back over and retake the job in 2024.

In New York, the offensive line is beginning to become unrecognizable. Starting center Joe Tippmann returns as the sole starter from the final weeks of the 2023 season. Alijah Vera-Tucker should return from a torn Achilles tendon to claim a starting spot, as well. Vera-Tucker’s play at tackle had the Jets considering a full-time switch from guard, but with the team trading for Ravens right tackle Morgan Moses, Vera-Tucker is more likely to shift back into a right guard role, while Moses remains in his usual spot.

General manager Joe Douglas recently said that team intends to play Vera-Tucker at one position this season, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, and though he didn’t say whether it would be guard or tackle at the time, the additions of Moses and Smith seem to point us in the direction of guard. The other guard sport will be manned by another former Raven in John Simpson, who signed with New York on Monday.

With those four in place, all the Jets needed was a blindside tackle. Enter Smith. Schefter reports that Smith’s one-year deal could be worth up to $20MM based on heavy incentives. While the money is certainly a plus, Smith expressed more excitement over protecting Rodgers.

“I feel like (playing with Rodgers is) going to be amazing,” Smith told Anderson over the phone. “Of course, me being with Dallas, he’s kicked our butts twice in the playoffs, so I know what he’s capable of. Honestly, I’m just excited for the opportunity.”

About leaving the Cowboys, Smith said, “I would’ve loved to have stayed home in Dallas, but as we all know, it’s a business, the way it works. I still feel like the Jets have an opportunity to win it, and anything I can do for the team to help them out, I’m going to do my best to do it.”

Patriots Could Pursue Veteran T Tyron Smith

March 3rd, 2024 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

With the seeming end to veteran offensive tackle Tyron Smith‘s time in Dallas, the 33-year-old is expected to hit the free agent market for the first time in his long career. One team expected to push for his services is the Patriots, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.

With both of last year’s starting offensive tackles, Trent Brown and Michael Onwenu, bound for free agency, the position has become an immediate need. Pursuing a 13-year veteran who hasn’t played every game of a season since 2015 may not seem like the ideal solution to a pressing need, but with the options available in free agency, a short-term solution like Smith may be just what the doctor ordered.

This year’s free agent class won’t be especially strong in the offensive tackle position. Cincinnati’s Jonah Williams or Washington’s Charles Leno probably rival Smith for the top options available. Williams may draw the most interest of the three, since he’s only 26 years old, but he graded out much worse than Smith and Leno, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Smith, on the other hand, graded out as the fourth-best tackle in the league last year and earned second-team All-Pro honors.

Daniels pointed out two other players as focuses for New England, as well, these being players in the building set to depart in free agency. Daniels reported that the Patriots are interested in trying to bring back both tight end Hunter Henry and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

Henry and Bourne finished second and third on the team in receiving yards with 419 and 406, respectively, both behind rookie sixth-round pick Demario Douglas. One area in which they both outperformed the rookie was in the endzone. While Douglas failed to register a score in his first NFL season, Henry led the team with six touchdowns and Bourne was close behind with four.

While the team has hopes to extend both players, it sounds like landing either would be a long shot. Daniels reports that Henry and the team “are far apart on an extension,” while the Patriots and Bourne “aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on his market value.” Both players are sure to draw interest from around the league, so if New England isn’t willing to give up some ground, it could lose both Henry and Bourne.

Tyron Smith Unlikely To Return To Cowboys

March 2nd, 2024 at 10:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Tyron Smith‘s 13-year stint in Dallas has likely come to an end. The impending free agent left tackle is unlikely to return to the Cowboys, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This news comes on the heels of yesterday’s report that Smith and the Cowboys discussed a potential return while at the combine. Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News notes that the Cowboys still have interest in re-signing the lineman, but it’s clear the two sides are “drastically apart in the financial framework” of a deal.

The 2011 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Cowboys, earning five All-Pro nods and eight Pro Bowl appearances. Smith inked an eight-year, $109MM contract back in 2014 that once reset the position’s market. Thanks to multiple restructurings, the veteran earned only $7.3MM this past season, and the organization opted to not hand him an extension.

Injuries continue to plague Smith’s career; the lineman has missed at least three games each season since 2015. The left tackle missed 27 combined games in 2020 and 2022, and he got into 24 of 34 possible games during his two most-recent “healthy” seasons (2021, 2023).

As we passed along yesterday, Smith and the Cowboys agreed to a new practice regimen that was intended to keep the 33-year-old healthy. The organization has also been willing to tolerate his absences as long as he was available for the team’s biggest games. Smith hasn’t missed any of the team’s four playoff games over the past three seasons.

While injuries are a clear issue at this stage of Smith’s career, the offensive lineman has continued to perform when on the field. Pro Football Focus graded him as the fourth-best offensive tackle this past season, including a position-leading pass-block score. Other than his lost 2020 and 2022 campaigns, Smith has graded as at least a top-20 OT in each of his NFL seasons, and it doesn’t look like he’s showing any signs of slowing down.

Still, considering his age and injury risks, Smith can’t expect to break the bank on his next deal. Pro Football Focus pointed to Terron Armstead‘s five-year, $75MM contract with the Dolphins in 2022 as a comparison. While the former Saints OT had his fair share of injuries at the time of the signing, he was also significantly younger than Smith is now. The site ultimately settled on a one-year, $10MM contract for Smith, which would keep him around the top-20 highest-paid players at his position. If a bidding war develops, the veteran could climb the AAV list, although he may be hard pressed to get a long-term deal.

As for the Cowboys, the team seems to have an in-house replacement for Smith. The team used a first-round pick on Tyler Smith in the 2022 draft, and the lineman has only missed three games through his first two seasons in the NFL. Jon Machota of The Athletic notes that offensive tackle is a likely target of the organization with their No. 24 pick.

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