Cowboys guard Tyler Smith will have MRI on injured hamstring

Dallas Cowboys left guard Tyler Smith will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to team owner Jerry Jones. Smith left practice early on Monday to talk to trainers after experiencing what was reported as “hamstring discomfort.” Though the injury could be minor, it appears the Cowboys want to have some evidence to back up their initial evaluation.

“We felt better after we visited and assessed it after practice,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday morning. “Hopefully it’s not serious enough to impact him (against New York).”

“Nothing that we’ve evaluated keeps him out of it at this point,” Jones added.

The Cowboys kick off the regular season against the New York Giants on Sunday night on the road. Smith is slated to start for Dallas at left guard.

He played primarily left tackle last season while filling in for Tyron Smith after the All-Pro sustained an injury during training camp. He played all 17 games across left tackle and left guard, surrendering six sacks in 1,144 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus analytics.

If the second-year lineman is good to go for Sunday, the Cowboys would have Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin and Terence Steele as the starting five. If the former first-rounder can’t play, then Dallas will likely insert T.J. Bass or rookie Asim Richards.

Things were rocky for the offensive line this summer as they waited for right guard Zack Martin to end his contract holdout. The front office managed to resolve the All-Pro lineman’s issues with his compensation by boosting his pay by $8 million over the next two seasons.

Cowboys favorited in Week 1 versus New York

The Cowboys are a 3.5-point favorite over the Giants, despite traveling to face them. Dallas won both matchups against New York Last season. First, they won 23-16 in Week 3 action on the road. Then, they beat the Giants again at AT&T Stadium 28-20 in Week 12.

After the Week 1 game, the Cowboys will see the Giants again in Week 10 after another divisional matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

“This is a super competitive division,” McCarthy said Monday of the NFC East. “I think all four teams have the opportunity to be in the playoff hunt.”

For the Cowboys, Dak Prescott is suiting up for his eighth season in the league. He’s led Dallas to back-to-back 12-5 finishes over the past two seasons and battled injuries along the way. Meanwhile, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones enters Year 5. He posted career-highs in yardage and completion percentage last season while taking New York to a 9-7-1 finish.