FRISCO, Texas — T.J. Bass is listed as the starting left guard on the Dallas Cowboys’ unofficial depth chart for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens, with Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith on injured reserve after thumb surgery. The Cowboys released the chart Tuesday.
Smith had surgery Sept. 8 to repair ligament damage in his left thumb. Dallas placed him on injured reserve with a designation to return the next day, a move that requires him to miss at least four games.
His earliest possible return is Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 8, with kickoff at 7:15 p.m. CT on Prime Video. Smith has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three seasons.
Smith aggravated an injury he brought to training camp in Oxnard, California, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on 105.3 The Fan the morning of the surgery. Smith watched the Sept. 13 opener against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium wearing a cast.
“I hope it’s early,” Jones said before kickoff that night. “I hope. But we’ll just see how it works.”
Brian Schottenheimer Backed T.J. Bass Before Week 1
Dallas placed a second-round tender on Bass this offseason when he was a restricted free agent. He started 5 games in 2025 and 10 over his first three seasons. Last season, Bass allowed 8 pressures and no sacks on 198 pass-blocking snaps, according to Next Gen Stats figures cited by DallasCowboys.com.
Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Sept. 7 that Bass has already played next to both of the linemen beside him now.
“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.”
“We tendered him the way we tendered him because we trust this guy as a football player,” Schottenheimer continued. “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.”
Dallas beat the Washington Commanders 37-20 on Sunday. Dak Prescott threw 4 touchdown passes and became the franchise’s career leader with 249.
Nick Leverett, Broderick Jones Among Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line Backups
Nick Leverett is listed as the backup center. Dallas signed him to the active roster from the practice squad on Sept. 9, the day Smith went on injured reserve, and signed guard Laken Tomlinson to the practice squad.
Tyler Guyton is the starting left tackle, with rookie Drew Shelton behind him. Dallas took Shelton in the fourth round of April’s draft, 112th overall, out of Penn State.
At right tackle, Broderick Jones is listed behind Terence Steele. The Cowboys acquired Broderick Jones, a former first-round pick, in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers after roster cuts. Ajani Cornelius is listed as the backup right guard.
The Cowboys play the Ravens at 3:25 p.m. CT Sunday at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. After the Tampa Bay game, Dallas plays at the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18.
