The Dallas Cowboys’ turbulent season took another dramatic turn after their 34-17 Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. While the Cowboys were officially eliminated from playoff contention, the latest loss dropped them to 6-8-1. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and the coaching staff moved quickly to reshuffle the team’s offensive line with Tyler Smith. However, it turns out that they crossed a legal line in doing so.

On December 21, head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced that Tyler Smith would start at left tackle for the remainder of the season, moving away from his usual role at left guard. While the decision made sense from a football standpoint, it has now sparked serious controversy behind the scenes.

“There is no clause in Tyler Smith’s contract with the Cowboys that compensates him if he moves from guard to tackle,” Cowboys’ reporter Clarence Hill Jr. wrote in his recent X post. “It’s actually illegal to do so under the CBA, per Smith’s representative. It’s not allowed. Smith is paid at the top of the guard market but to tackle is a different tax bracket. He is well aware of the difference.”

So, according to Clarence Hill Jr., the Cowboys’ move may violate the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. Smith had signed a four-year, $96 million extension before the season, the richest contract ever for a guard. So, Smith was being paid in a completely different tax bracket than tackles. Therefore, his representation reportedly insisted that the position change was not allowed under the CBA.

However, the situation developed for the Cowboys out of necessity. The team’s starting left tackle, Tyler Guyton, suffered a high ankle sprain and missed his fourth straight game in Week 16. Backup Nathan Thomas also went down with a shoulder injury. Suddenly, the Cowboys faced a massive hole protecting quarterback Dak Prescott’s blind side. So, Tyler Smith became the obvious solution.

Besides, this wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Tyler Smith. He played tackle in college and started at left tackle for Dallas in a game last season. Most impressively, he held down the position throughout the 2022 season after Tyron Smith was sidelined with an injury. Tyler also did that in 2022 with almost no training camp reps. That versatility has long impressed Prescott.

“Put him [Tyler] at center; he can do it all,” Prescott said in a presser after the Week 16 game. “We’re good at center, but honestly, he can play whatever he wants. That’s a credit to that guy… So, the moment they told me this early in the week that they’re going to go with Tyler at left tackle, I was great with it. No hesitation in my mind. There was no doubt of what he was going to be able to do.”

Schottenheimer also echoed the QB’s sentiments regarding the two-time Pro Bowler. He called Smith a rare luxury in today’s NFL. But more importantly, he also confirmed that the Cowboys spoke with Smith before making the move with his position in the OL. 

“He [Tyler] certainly can play out there,” Schottenheimer said in a presser after the Week 16 game. “When we made the decision, we talked to [him] and the decision was made we’re going to do it for the year.”

Still, it’s debatable whether an agreement on the football side makes it right from a contractual standpoint for Smith.  

What did Tyler Smith think of starting at left tackle for the Cowboys?

Tyler Smith did not hesitate when the Cowboys asked him to move to left tackle for Week 16. Drafted in 2022 as a potential long-term answer at the left tackle position, Smith treated the request as part of his responsibility and embraced the challenge right away.

“I’m going to do what’s best for the team,” Smith told reporters after the Week 16 game. 

The 24-year-old showed no concern about the sudden position change. But if Dallas’ long-term plan involves keeping him at left tackle, then Smith’s current contract would make him a bargain at one of the league’s most valuable positions. And Smith acknowledged that reality while making it clear he’s thinking ahead.

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“I’m a smart player,” Smith said. “I understand who I am, where I am, and ultimately what I’m getting paid to do. So I’m going to be smart. We’ll have those conversations when we have those conversations.”

Moreover, the move worked on the field for the Cowboys in Week 16. With the two-time Pro Bowler holding down left tackle and T.J. Bass stepping in at left guard, the Cowboys’ OL allowed just one sack. It offered rare stability amid a turbulent season for the Cowboys. So, after the game, Schottenheimer confirmed the team’s plans moving forward. He revealed that as the Cowboys fight to finish at .500, Smith will remain at left tackle for the last two games of the season.