The Dallas Cowboys have taken steps to reinforce their offensive line following the injury to guard Tyler Smith, who is expected to miss at least the first month of the season due to a thumb issue. Smith was moved to injured reserve, prompting the team to make immediate roster adjustments to maintain depth on the front line.
Guard Nick Leverett was elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. He is positioned to serve as the backup to new starter TJ Bass. Leverett, an undrafted free agent out of Rice University in 2020, spent three years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a reserve role before splitting the 2024 season between New England and Arizona.
He was on the Arizona practice squad last season when current Cowboys offensive coordinator Clayton Adams was with that team.
Additionally, the team signed 34-year-old Laken Tomlinson to the practice squad. Tomlinson was selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft and has started 162 career games. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020 and started seven games for the Houston Texans last year.
In related news, ESPN’s annual poll of NFL executives and scouts identified Brian Schottenheimer as a candidate for Coach of the Year. The publication noted that the Cowboys also have a strong contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year in Caleb Downs. ESPN writer Jeremy Fowler described the race as tight, with no runaway favorite, and highlighted Schottenheimer as a potential dark horse.
