The Dallas Cowboys quietly strengthened their offensive line Wednesday by signing veteran guard Laken Tomlinson to the practice squad, a low-risk move aimed at covering the absence of one of their most important players.
The timing makes sense for a team that just lost three-time Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith to injured reserve. Smith underwent thumb surgery and is expected to miss four to six weeks, leaving a hole in the starting lineup heading into Sunday’s season opener against the New York Giants.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer said Smith simply could not perform at the level the Cowboys need.
“Just at the end of the day, he felt like he couldn’t do the things he had to do at a high level,” Schottenheimer said. “We know this is a long season.”
The Cowboys have turned first to T.J. Bass as the likely starter at left guard. They also promoted Nick Leverett from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Tomlinson now sits behind them as experienced insurance.
“Laken Tomlinson, who was a first-round pick in 2015, has been added to the Cowboys’ practice squad,” Jon Machota of The Athletic reported. “The interior offensive lineman has started 162 of the 173 games he’s played in for the Lions, Jets, Seahawks and Texans.”
From the Cowboys’ viewpoint, that kind of durability is exactly what they wanted. Tomlinson has been a starter for most of his 11-year career. He started every game at left guard for Seattle in 2024 and opened last season as Houston’s starter before the Texans moved on in December.
Dallas can elevate Tomlinson from the practice squad on game days if needed. That flexibility could prove useful if Bass or another interior lineman goes down. Smith’s grip strength was the issue, and offensive linemen rely on that more than most positions.
Schottenheimer pointed to Bass as the immediate answer but made clear the team wants Smith back healthy rather than rushing him.
“Unfortunately, when you’re an offensive lineman, grip strength and things like that are really important,” he said. “We know he’s a quick healer, and we want to get it fixed.”
Tomlinson, 34, is a former first-round pick out of Duke who earned a Pro Bowl nod with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021. He has bounced around in recent years, but the Cowboys see a veteran who knows how to play in big games and can step in without much rust.
Last season he allowed 11 pressures and three sacks in limited action with Houston, according to Pro Football Focus, and posted a 55.9 overall grade. Those numbers are not elite, yet they come with more than a decade of starting experience that younger backups cannot match.
The Cowboys’ offense, built around Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, needs a functional line while Smith recovers. Adding Tomlinson gives the coaching staff another option without committing a 53-man roster spot right away.
For a contender trying to stay healthy through a long season, the signing is practical more than flashy. Tomlinson may never start a game in Dallas. If the line stays intact, he may not play at all. But if another injury hits, the Cowboys now have a player who has started 162 NFL games ready to go.
Smith’s absence is a blow. The addition of Tomlinson is the kind of depth move teams make when they still believe they can win now.
