The choice suggests Dallas has come to a painful realization: It is higher with out its 2023 first-round decide.
Kenny Clark addition made Smith expendable
Going through operating again Saquon Barkley, the 2024 Related Press Offensive Participant of the 12 months, on Thursday, the Cowboys may seemingly use as many defensive linemen as doable.
With Smith heading to the inactive record, it speaks to the group’s confidence in Clark, who Dallas acquired from the Inexperienced Bay Packers in final week’s Micah Parsons commerce.
Per Stats Carry out, the Cowboys allowed 5.1 yards per carry with out Smith on the sphere final season — in comparison with 4.7 yards with him on the sphere. Total, Dallas ranked No. 30 in dashing yards per try (4.8).
In the meantime, the Packers had been higher in opposition to the run with Clark — permitting 3.9 yards per carry — than with out (4.1).
Smith wasn’t a lot of a think about stopping the run, and his manufacturing was much more troubling in passing conditions, ending 2024 with one sack and three quarterbacks.
The Cowboys allowed 1.2 yards extra per move play with Smith on the sphere than off. The protection’s stress splits with and with out Smith are much more jarring:
| w/ Smith | w/out Smith | |
| Sack % | 7.4 | 10.3 |
| QB Hit % | 14.7 | 18.9 |
| QB Stress % | 37.7 | 48.3 |
With Smith inactive, that leaves only one member of the group’s 2023 draft class on the Week 1 roster, second-round tight finish Luke Schoonmaker. Linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, chosen within the third spherical, is at present on the bodily unable to carry out (PUP) record.
The Cowboys have chosen seven gamers who’ve gone on to succeed in a Professional Bowl since 2020, so it is not as if the group has a sample of draft whiffs. However for a group with vital monetary investments to quarterback Dak Prescott and large receiver CeeDee Lamb in future seasons, lacking on these reasonably priced, cost-controlled 2023 picks is debilitating from a team-building standpoint.
As a first-round decide, Smith ought to have been a lynchpin alongside the line of defense. As a substitute, he may have already got one foot out the door.
