FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 13: Nick Leverett #51 of the New England Patriots looks on as they play the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Getty
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 15: Head coach Brian Schottenheimer of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the fourth quarter during the NFL preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 15, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) Getty
The Dallas Cowboys are turning to their practice squad to add some depth to the offensive line.
Starting guard Tyler Smith is going to be out for four to six weeks after getting surgery on his injured thumb. That opens up a spot on the Cowboys' active roster to help replace Smith for the time being.
ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer shared a new report he got from a source with the team. Dallas has decided who to bring up to the roster.
"The Cowboys are signing OL Nick Leverett to the active roster from the practice squad, per source. With Tyler Smith (thumb) out 4-6 weeks, Leverett can serve as the backup interior lineman on gameday."
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 13: Nick Leverett #51 of the New England Patriots looks on as they play the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Leverett first started getting playing time during the 2020 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He spent three years there before playing for the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals in 2024. Last year, he appeared in just one game with the Cowboys.
During his NFL career, Leverett appeared in 23 games and started 11 of them . 10 of those starts came in 2022 with the Buccaneers.
He will be filling in on the bench for the Cowboys' offensive line. T.J. Bass is going to be the new starter with Leverett looking to back him up.
GettySEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 15: Head coach Brian Schottenheimer of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the fourth quarter during the NFL preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on August 15, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images)
The Cowboys had some offensive line questions at left tackle at first. After bringing in Broderick Jones from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a trade, that added another wrinkle to the right tackle job.
Dallas is building depth, with Leverett added to the team. He has starting experience, which makes him a valuable asset.
There's a long road ahead for the Cowboys over the next few weeks with the offensive line dealing with a key injury. Losing Smith is still a tough blow for the franchise, and they can only hope it doesn't last longer than a month.
They will be looking to Leverett to step up in the next few games as the reliable depth player they know he can be. His NFL experience should help, but he also hasn't played in a game in quite some time, so he'll need to shake off some rust if he does play.
Over the next month, the Cowboys hope to get off to a fast start, given how good and deep this roster is. They will need to survive on offense without a key starter in the lineup. A lot can change over the next month, but the Cowboys' offense should be able to hold their own until help returns for them.
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