The Dallas Cowboys have made changes to their roster due to Pro Bowl guard Tyler Smith's thumb injury, which has led to his placement on the injured reserve list. Smith is expected to be out for four to six weeks, prompting the team to elevate veteran interior lineman Nick Leverett from the practice squad to the active roster.
While Leverett joins the active roster, he is not expected to start right away. T.J. Bass is likely to step in as the starting left guard, bringing experience with 10 career starts and knowledge of the team's offensive system.
Nick Leverett, who began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent from Rice University in 2020, has played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2021 to 2023, where he started 10 games. He also had brief tenures with the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals in 2024, where he collaborated with Cowboys offensive coordinator Clayton Adams.
In a related move, the Cowboys have signed veteran offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson to their practice squad. Tomlinson, a first-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2015, has extensive experience, having started 162 games in his career, including seven games last season with the Houston Texans. These adjustments come as the Cowboys seek to maintain their offensive line's stability with the season underway.
