Smith suffered an avulsion fracture of the left knee and is likely to miss most or all of the season while recovering from surgery, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Rapoport mentions December as the earliest possible date for a return, leaving the Cowboys without their eight-time Pro Bowler at left tackle for the foreseeable future. The 32-year-old Smith will miss multiple games for a seventh straight year and the majority of a season for the second time in three years. Todd Archer of ESPN.com reports that 2021 fourth-round pick Josh Ball has replaced Smith as the first-team left tackle at times this summer, with rookie first-rounder Tyler Smith and rookie fifth-rounder Matt Waletzko (shoulder) being other options at the position. The Cowboys could still add a veteran, but they won't find anyone who blocks for QB Dak Prescott and RB Ezekiel Elliott the way Smith can when he's healthy.