
Cowboys' top 3 temporary replacement plans after Tyler Guyton's leg injury
Sadly, the Cowboys were rewarded with this showing of faith with what appears to be a significant leg injury. When Guyton exited the field on Monday many were optimistic he'd soon return. The injury didn't look particularly nasty, and the second-year tackle left the field under his own power.
From there the team took everyone on an emotional rollercoaster. First it reported to be a torn ACL and a lost season. Then it was fracture and a 4–6-week prognosis. Finally, it was coming to terms with a lost preseason for a player who can ill-afford to lose a preseason.
Now the Cowboys are looking to contingency plans. While it's possible a surprise down-roster player could step up and fill in, there are only a select few who legitimately have a chance at holding down left tackle in a somewhat reliable manner. Chances are whoever fills in will have to start actual regular season games in 2025 so this isn't something the Cowboys can flippantly address.
Asim Richards, 24
The 6-foot-4, 307-pound Richards is the most obvious and most seamless replacement. He's a career offensive tackle with loads of college experience. He's been steadily progressing in the Cowboys system over the past two years and seems ready to make a leap in Year 3.
Most of Richards' work has come at LT so the move to starting lineup would have a minimal effect on the rest of the roster. He has starter potential but is most ideal as a swing replacement player this year.
Nate Thomas, 24
Second year tackle Nate Thomas has been turning heads in camp. After an injury robbed him of his rookie season, he's wasting no time making an impression. The 6-foot-4, 331-pound tackle out of Louisiana is a hot stock these days who should only look better as the frequency of padded practices pick up.
Working is Thomas' favor is the timing of everything. With so many opportunities to prove himself in camp and preseason games, the Cowboys can ease him into real action without exposing Dak Prescott to needless injury risk.
Tyler Smith, 24
Even before Guyton's injury, Smith may have very well been Dallas' top LT already. The reason he is stationed at guard is because he's borderline generational as a guard. Smith came to the Cowboys as a college tackle but was prepped to play guard in Year 1. Only after a late summer injury to Tyron Smith did the Cowboys move him out to left tackle.
Since that rookie season, the Cowboys have been focused on developing Smith at guard instead of tackle. It seems only a long-term injury could force Smith out to tackle again so had Guyton suffered a season-ending ACL, this might have been a realistic option. Now? Probably not so much.
You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Kaylee McKeown tops rival Regan Smith for another major title at swimming worlds
Australia's Kaylee McKeown edged American Regan Smith to win gold in the women's 100-meter backstroke final Tuesday at the swimming world championships in Singapore, a blistering-fast edition of the rivalry between two of the best in the sport. McKeown won in 57.16, just missing the world record, with Smith just behind in 57.35 for silver. Both were among the top five times in the event's history. American Katharine Berkoff took bronze in 58.15. Regan Smith and Katharine Berkoff take silver and bronze in the women's 100m backstroke. 🥈🥉 📺: Peacock | #AQUASingapore25 — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 29, 2025 Smith was a fraction ahead at the 50-meter mark, but McKeown passed her coming home for her second world title in the event. It's the fourth time in four tries that McKeown has outpaced Smith in the event at either an Olympics or world championships. Smith also took silver behind McKeown at the Paris Olympics and 2023 worlds and earned bronze in the Tokyo Olympics behind McKeown and Canada's Kylie Masse. Smith won gold at the 2022 worlds, which McKeown did not compete in. Advertisement Smith's time was her third-best ever and is now the fifth-best in the event's history. But one of those four superior swims was McKeown's in the lane next to her Tuesday. 'That's my third-best time ever,' Smith said in an interview on Peacock. 'What more can you do? I have no control over how fast Kaylee swims. I'm going to choose not to be frustrated — 57.35 is pretty fantastic.' Though McKeown has owned the biggest meets, the rivalry is still one of the best in swimming. Smith is the current world-record holder, setting the mark of 57.12 at last year's U.S. Olympic trials. She also set the Olympic record of 57.28 in Paris — the event's second-best time ever before Tuesday — but it came in the women's medley relay, in which the U.S. beat McKeown's Australian squad for gold. In the individual 100-meter final, McKeown beat Smith 57.33 to 57.66. McKeown now has five world championship golds and 13 overall medals. (Photo of, from left, Regan Smith, Kaylee McKeown and Katharine Berkoff on the podium Tuesday: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images)

NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Will Hernandez announces he's cleared to return from his torn ACL
Teams in need of offensive line help heading into the regular season can consider adding veteran guard Will Hernandez to their roster. Hernandez tore his ACL in the fifth week of the regular season while playing for the Cardinals last year and has been rehabbing since having surgery to repair the injury. Hernandez announced on Instagram on Monday that he has been cleared to return to action and wrote that he's 'hungry' to resume his playing career. Hernandez's contract with the Cardinals was up after the 2024 season, so he's free to sign with any team. The Giants drafted Hernandez in the second round in 2018 and he started 56 games in four years before moving on to Arizona. He started all 35 games he played for the Cardinals.

USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
3x Super Bowl champion hoping to earn spot on Cowboys as veteran sage
Darius Harris has had a fortuitous run as an NFL linebacker. His career started in the best place imaginable, signing with Kansas City out of college at the beginning of the Patrick Mahomes era. He brought his experiences to Dallas last season, hoping to find a foothold in a transitioning defense that was suffering through some injury attrition at the time. Now he's back in Dallas for his first full offseason, under a new coaching regime, hoping to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. The club made several offseason acquisitions at the linebacker position, but despite the fact Harris hasn't seen much on-the-field action, he's survived some initial roster shuffles in order to make his way with the club to Oxnard for training camp. Rundown Position: Linebacker Age: 29 Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 238 pounds Hometown: Horn Lake, MS High School: Horn Lake College: Middle Tennessee State (College Game Film) Draft: 2019 Undrafted Free Agent, Kansas City Acquired: 2024 Street FA Contract: One-year contract (2025), $1.17 million 2025 Base Salary: $1.17 million, no guarantees | Cap Hit $1.03 million (vet salary benefit) Career Earnings: $3.2 million (per Over The Cap) Profile Harris signed with the Chiefs as a UDFA, but was placed on the NFI list, missing his rookie year and the team's championship season. He was part of the team's next trip to the Big Game, and their subsequent back-to-back wins in 2022 and 2023. While he wasn't a major part of those teams, starting just six games across those four seasons, he does know what its like to be in a consistent winning environment, and if he's able to relay that to his teammates in Dallas, that can be seen as a valuable asset. When it comes to playing time, there's a strong contingent ahead of him. The team traded for Kenneth Murray, a former first-round pick, and signed Jack Sanborn who is intimately familiar with new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Second-year linebacker Marist Liufau has been impressive, and fourth-year LB Damone Clark has made a huge leap under Eberflus' direction. It also appears the Cowboys' best LB, DeMarvion Overshown, is once again showing Wolverine-like recovery ability and has a chance to contribute to the team sooner than midseason. That leaves limited opportunity for others, and with Dallas trading up in the fifth round for Shemar James, Harris has tough terrain to navigate in order to make the 53-man roster. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!