FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott said Thursday that T.J. Bass is a true pro, three days before Bass starts at left guard for the Dallas Cowboys in place of Tyler Smith against the New York Giants.
Kickoff at MetLife Stadium is Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC. Smith had surgery on his left thumb and went on injured reserve, which keeps him out at least four games. Prescott said Bass does not need extra motivation.
“T.J.’s a true pro,” Prescott said. “I don’t know the number of starts T.J. has under his belt, but it’s a good number, and just the number of plays he’s come into the game and done exactly his job and done well at his job. So, yeah, obviously you’re missing a guy like Tyler. It sucks, but when you’ve got a guy like T.J., you don’t even flinch.”
“And I don’t even know if there’s, it’s not even necessary to give him an extra motivation or this and that, that guy’s a pro, he’s ready to play,” Prescott continued. “I’m sure he’s, I know he’s excited for his opportunity and he knows how much it means to the rest of the guys that he does his job and he fills in the right way for Tyler.”
Brian Schottenheimer On Tyler Smith’s Injury And T.J. Bass
Coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Monday that Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, would miss four to six weeks. The thumb had bothered Smith throughout training camp without a single moment Schottenheimer could point to, and Dr. Steven Shin performed the surgery Tuesday. Bass has played next to the starters on the left side of the line, Schottenheimer said.
“Tyler Smith’s a great player, but we feel really confident in T.J., and he’s put great film on here,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s played next to Cooper Beebe, he’s played next to [Tyler] Guyton, so that’s nothing new, the communication and all that stuff.”
Dallas placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Bass this offseason, and he signed it in March. He is 27, entering his fourth season, and has 10 starts in 48 games since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2023, including five starts last season, against Green Bay, the Jets, Carolina, the Chargers, and Washington. He played 198 pass-blocking snaps last season and allowed 8 pressures and no sacks, the fewest pressures among Cowboys linemen with at least 190 snaps. For his career, he has given up 2 sacks and 15 pressures on 568 pass-blocking snaps. Bass has been playing behind a lot of really good players, Schottenheimer said.
“We tendered him the way we tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s a damn good football player that unfortunately is just playing behind a lot of really, really good players. So we have great confidence in T.J.”
Dak Prescott On Why T.J. Bass Has Been Ready
During training camp, Bass often worked with the first-team line in team drills when the staff managed Smith’s workload. Dallas also kept him out of trade talks this summer, and the Cowboys explained why this week. Bass is not a man of many words, Prescott said.
“He’s a hell of a player,” Prescott explained. “Prepares the right way, not a guy of many words, just comes in, does his job, does it with the right energy. He’s a hell of a teammate and, yeah, you can just tell how much it means to him, and every time he’s went out there, he’s a big physical guy, and anytime he’s went out there, he’s dominated and done what he needs to.”
Bass said Wednesday that no one was disappointed when New York traded its star nose tackle to Cincinnati in April. The Giants’ top edge rusher had 16.5 sacks last season, second in the NFL, and New York drafted linebacker Arvell Reese fifth overall in April.
Prescott said the key for a young line is to over-communicate, making sure all five linemen are on the same accord along with the tight ends and receivers. Smith will be eligible to return after the Cowboys’ fourth game, and Schottenheimer put the timeline at four to six weeks. Dallas also traded for tackle Broderick Jones in late August.
