Tyler Smith targets comeback after thumb surgery
Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith is working hard to make his season debut this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Pro Bowl offensive lineman underwent surgery last month to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. He suffered the injury during a joint practice session against the New Orleans Saints. He tried to practice through the pain initially but ended up making the injury worse, which forced him to have surgery a week before the regular season started.
Smith has missed the first four games of the year on injured reserve. The Cowboys finally opened his practice window on Monday, allowing him to take part in a brief walkthrough that lasted about an hour. He was officially listed as a limited participant. Smith is now wearing a protective cast on his thumb to keep it safe. He feels his conditioning is still good because of the rehabilitation work he did with the team's training and strength staff.
"I think it's possible. We're not ruling anything out," Smith said. He noted that they would do more work on Tuesday to see how the thumb feels. The final decision will depend on when he and the coaching staff feel he is fully ready to return to the field.
Offensive struggles and other team injuries
With Smith sidelined, T.J. Bass has stepped into the left guard position. The Cowboys offense has still managed to score points, averaging 30.5 points per game through the first four weeks, which ties them for second in the NFL. However, the running game has struggled without Smith. Dallas is averaging only 3.8 yards per carry. Running back Javonte Williams has been a key player near the goal line, scoring five of the team's six rushing touchdowns so far.
This Thursday game will be the third match for Dallas in a span of 12 days, putting a physical strain on the roster. On the injury front, there is some hope that linebacker DeMarvion Overshown might return. He has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, and though he did not practice on Monday, the team is optimistic about his availability.
Other players are still struggling to recover. Cornerback Cobie Durant is likely to miss his third consecutive game due to a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have not yet opened the practice windows for linebacker Marist Liufau, who has a forearm injury, or cornerback Devin Moore, who is dealing with a groin issue.
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