The Dallas Cowboys got hit with some brutal injury news just days before their Week 1 showdown against the New York Giants. Tyler Smith is out, expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a ligament issue in his thumb, meaning T.J. Bass steps into his spot. To shore up the interior line depth, the Cowboys elevated Nick Leverett from their practice squad.
Cowboys Scramble For O-Line Depth
With Leverett moving up to the active roster, that opened a spot on the practice squad. What do you do? You grab an 11-year veteran, that’s what. The Cowboys wasted no time, signing Laken Tomlinson to fill that practice squad spot. He just keeps bouncing around Texas, coming over after playing for the Texans last season. When you’re looking for an insurance policy for your offensive line, especially with a starter like Smith out for weeks, you want someone who’s seen it all.
Tomlinson’s Wealth of Experience Comes to Dallas
Tomlinson, who’s 33 years old, brings a ton of mileage to the Cowboys, having played for the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and Houston Texans. This dude has 162 career starts under his belt, and he even started seven games last season in 2025. Every single one of his snaps has been at guard. That’s a massive amount of experience for a guy coming onto the practice squad, offering a solid backup plan if any more injuries crop up before Tyler Smith can get back on the field.
With Week 1 against the Giants just days away, the Cowboys are gonna need all the stability they can get on that interior line. Tomlinson’s veteran presence could be a huge factor while Smith recovers, and that’s something to definitely keep an eye on as the season kicks off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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