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Aaron Rodgers has a new protector of his blindside.
The New York Jets are expected to sign veteran left tackle Tyron Smith in free agency, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the contract is a one-year deal worth up to $20 million with incentives.
Smith, 33, has spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys since he was the No. 9 pick in the 2011 draft.
Smith has been one of the league’s best tackles over the last decade, racking up two All-Pro nods and eight Pro Bowl appearances in Dallas. He struggled staying on the field in recent years—playing just 17 games from 2020 to ‘22—but Smith started 13 contests (and one playoff tilt) at left tackle last season.
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Smith is set to be the Jets’ starter at left tackle, joining center Joe Tippman, right tackle Morgan Moses and guards John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker on the offensive line.
The Jets’ offensive line allowed the fourth-most sacks (64) last season. Adding Smith certainly addresses that issue as Rodgers looks to rebound from his season-ending Achilles tear on the team’s first offensive possession of the 2023 campaign.
