FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys activated All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith from injured reserve before Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced. To open a roster spot, Dallas waived running back Emari Demercado.
Smith has not played this season. He had surgery before the season to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb. Going on injured reserve required him to miss the first four games. Dallas opened his 21-day practice window Monday, and he was limited Monday and Tuesday.
Demercado was inactive for Sunday’s 34-30 win at Houston.
Dallas also elevated cornerback Reddy Steward and safety Juanyeh Thomas from the practice squad for the game. Both were elevated for Houston as well. Steward started at cornerback against the Texans and made 4 tackles in 39 defensive snaps, and Thomas played 25 snaps on special teams.
Brian Schottenheimer Left Tyler Smith’s Return Up To Him
On Tuesday at The Star, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the decision on Smith was more about Smith’s comfort than his own. Tuesday’s session was mostly a walkthrough with eight full-speed plays on each side, and Smith was set to do a few things the other players would not, including hitting bags.
“Yeah, to me, if Tyler feels good that he can go play, then I have no problem. I’ve seen him, like I said, play football at a very high level. It’s more of a comfort level for him than me. All Tyler’s got to do is say, hey, Schotty, I feel good, and he’ll be out there,” Schottenheimer said. “But at the same time, if he doesn’t feel good, then we’ll have a discussion. I’m not going to put him in a position where he doesn’t feel like he’d go do his job. But in terms of having to see a lot, we’ll have him do a few things today that the other guys won’t do, quite honestly, because we have to see him hit bags and things like that.”
Smith got some work Monday. Schottenheimer likes having him back in the huddle.
“Yeah, let him get some work. He got some work yesterday, but today, again, we’ll get a little bit of full-speed stuff and individual, and then we’ll see how he does,” Schottenheimer explained. “But I love the look of his face, and I like seeing him in the huddle.”
Dak Prescott Calls Tyler Smith An ‘Enforcer’
T.J. Bass started at left guard in Houston and played all 78 offensive snaps. Smith may be the most explosive and powerful guard in the league, Schottenheimer said, and he said Bass would play well against Tampa Bay’s Vita Vea if he started.
“Yeah, I mean Tyler is an elite guard at really everything, run and pass, but he’s maybe the most explosive, powerful guard in the league. I’d be hard-pressed to find one that’s more explosive than him. I love the way Tyler Guyton’s playing. The good news for us is those guys have played a lot of football together and communicate well together. That’s part of it,” Schottenheimer said. “But it would be nice to say, okay, hey, we run left this week because of this or run right because of that. And we do that now. But Tyler Smith is certainly an elite player. TJ Bass has been really good for us, and if he goes out there and starts for us this game, he’ll play great as well against Vita Vea and their entire group, A’Shawn Robinson and some really great defensive linemen. But Tyler Smith is a unique player.”
Dak Prescott called Smith an enforcer. Before he got to Smith, Prescott wanted to credit Bass.
“Yeah, I mean, you just get a guy like that back, an enforcer, one of the best guards, if not the best guard in the league, it definitely helps,” Prescott said. “But I mean, I want to first say credit to TJ and just the amazing job he’s done, and any time that he’s been called upon, just coming in like a true pro and a guy that deserves, I mean, a guy that is a starter in this league. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Nobody has seen Smith and left tackle Tyler Guyton together this season. Smith is chomping at the bit, according to Prescott.
“Yeah, we’ll see. I mean, we haven’t seen it, right? It’s a new year. It’s a new time. Everybody’s got to go out there and prove themselves,” Prescott explained. “Excited for Tyler to get back, and I know he’s chomping at the bit to do that. Hungry to be the player that he is. And excited to watch those two guys in combination blocks or in singles and whatever it is and just get it going.”
Prescott Praises Tyler Guyton’s Growth
Guyton played all 78 snaps in Houston, and Schottenheimer called him outstanding on Monday. Prescott never saw a position battle at left tackle in training camp, because of the approach Guyton brought in starting in February and March.
“Yeah, I mean, I know when you guys asked me back in training camp about there being a position battle, I didn’t see that. And it was really because of this guy’s mindset and the way that he’s come in from, I mean, back into February, March, and the way that he’s approached this game and to get better with just the intent,” Prescott said. “And whether it be growing and maturing his body and making sure he’s ready to take on these elite pass rushers like we’re talking about, or just the mental side of making sure he’s doing exactly what he needs to be, and then the mentality of winning and wanting to dominate each rep.”
“I think you look out there and you look at his style of play, the way that he believes in himself and prepares jumps out. So credit to him for being a real pro,” Prescott continued. “And he’s a vocal guy throughout the game and a guy that I appreciate protecting.”
Cowboys Changing Field-Goal Protection After Another Block
Rookie tackle Drew Shelton is week to week with a hamstring injury, Schottenheimer said. Shelton played one snap on offense and one on special teams in Houston. Brandon Aubrey had a 62-yard field-goal try blocked by Will Anderson Jr. in that game, his second blocked attempt of the season, and Dallas was already planning to change the protection.
“Yeah, moving some pieces around. We were going to move some pieces around anyway because it hasn’t been very good,” Schottenheimer said. “So we’ve got a good rotation going, but at the end of the day, we’ve just got to clean some things up from a technical standpoint.”
Cowboys Managing Short Week Before Buccaneers Game
The players were tired and sore Tuesday, less than two days after a physical game in Houston. Schottenheimer liked the intensity in meetings.
“They’re tired, but we still have a couple days before the game. I think the intensity in the meetings, though, have been great. They’re dialed in, but they’re tired. They’re tired, they’re sore,” Schottenheimer said. “You should be less than 36, 40 hours after playing a physical football game with a lot of emotion and traveling. But we’ll be fine. We’ll be ready to roll.”
Jet lag from Rio de Janeiro has worn off, according to Schottenheimer. Players stayed at the facility until 7 or 7:30 p.m. Monday getting treatment.
“Yeah, I think the jet lag and all that stuff has worn off. It’s just more the physicality of the game the other night. We played a very physical game against the Texans, and a long game until the last play of the game,” Schottenheimer explained. “But we know how to do this. We know how to own a short week. We feel really good about our short-week preparation. This is something that’s been around not just with me, but since I’ve been here for five years. Mike McCarthy was awesome with the short weeks and how you do it and how you get their bodies back.”
“We have to get them moving a little bit today, so we’ll run around a little bit individual. We’ll run eight plays each, offensively and defensively, full speed, but it’s more about keeping their mind sharp while they get their bodies back,” Schottenheimer continued. “They were here last night until 7, 7:30 at night getting their bodies taken care of. They understand the importance of refilling the tank.”
After Thursday, Dallas has 10 days off before it plays at Green Bay on Oct. 18 and at Philadelphia on Oct. 26.
“Yeah. I mean, that’s the nature of the beast. It is the NFL regular season, and this is where you build the calluses, if you will, to go and do the things that you have to do in December and January football to go where you want to go,” Schottenheimer said. “But the bye will be great. But probably the biggest thing about the bye is getting rest. We’ll get a chance to study ourselves a little bit on offense, defense, and special teams, but also we’ve got some help coming around the corner, getting some guys back healthy.”
Dallas is 2-2 and hosts the 0-4 Buccaneers on Thursday at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff at 7:15 p.m. CT on Prime Video.
