Cowboys star still on rookie contract changes agents; already eyeing monster deal in 2027?
Cowboys star still on rookie contract changes agents; already eyeing monster deal in 2027?
In late April, the Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option for offensive lineman Tyler Smith, ensuring that the former first-round draft pick- entering his fourth season as a pro- will see out his rookie contract with a big blue star on his helmet.
But the 24-year-old already has one eye on his financial future beyond 2026.
Smith has new representation, it was announced Monday. The two-time Pro Bowler will now be working with Athletes First. Per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, the agency's Joe Panos and Todd France will take Smith on as a client.
Athletes First already represents several of the highest-profile Cowboys, including quarterback Dak Prescott, edge rusher Micah Parsons, kicker Brandon Aubrey, and newly-acquired wide receiver George Pickens.
Thanks to France, Prescott earned a record-setting $240 million contract just hours before the 2024 season kicked off. Parsons (working with the agency's David Mulugheta) is widely expected to sign a new deal this offseason that will make him the highest-paid non-quarterback in league history.
Smith's business move has already suggested to some that the Fort Worth native could be seeking top-of-market money for his position following the 2026 NFL season. The fifth-year option recently exercised by the club locks in a 2026 base salary for Smith of $21.27 million, though the two sides can negotiate a longer-term deal before then.
Panos got a shout-out recently during the club's retirement ceremony for Tyron Smith. The five-time All-Pro singled out Panos, calling him someone who changed his life. He fought back rare emotion in saying, "You've never just been my agent; you've been family."
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones echoed that sentiment, saying of Panos, "I've never seen anybody do more and get involved more to help him than you did as his friend and agent."
Tyler Smith was obviously paying attention.
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