FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons away just before the regular season started in the midst of a contract dispute. Parsons was going to demand $40 million per year or more, and that was more than what owner and general manager Jerry Jones was willing to pay. And rightfully so. Parsons got his money in Green Bay and everyone is happy.

Everyone, including Cowboys offensive lineman Tyler Smith.

Smith just got paid himself, to the tune of $96 million across four years. Without the Parsons trade, that’s probably not going to happen. Dallas was also able to lock down corner DaRon Bland to a four-year, $92 million deal. The Bland deal was made just three days after the Parsons contract was off the books in Dallas.

But with great salary comes great responsibility … or, something like that.

And Smith is no exception. Smith is now the highest-paid offensive lineman in the history of the NFL. So he must be the best, right? Well, we’ll see, but he sure as hell needs to play like it this season.

Quarterback Dak Prescott is a believer.

“That’s a guy that is just the epitome of what an offensive lineman is supposed to be like. Coming in young, learn from some of those guys, play next to Tyron, learning a little bit from Zack, but he’s a special player,” Prescott said. “He’s a special player from the moment that he showed up here, his approach, his mentality, his love for the game. The way that he knows his history of the game, his history of offensive linemen, his standard for himself and his play is super, super high. So he’s very well-deserving of that money and everything, and more success is going to come.”

Former Cowboys offensive lineman Tyron Smith, who helped develop Tyler when he first arrived in Dallas as the No. 24 overall pick out of Tulsa in 2022, is also a believer. A believer in the Tyler of now and the Tyler of the future.

“I feel like Tyler came in and set the standard that he wants to be great when he first got here, and he has,” Tyron Smith said in April. “Just increasing potential every year. And it’s just his work ethic and what he puts into this game and how dominant he is on the field. It just shows every year that he is getting better. He has potential to be one of the greats, and I just can’t wait to see that show.”

Dallas is 1-1 through the first two games of the season. While many thought the Dallas offensive line might not hold up this season due to injuries and inexperience, Smith can be an anchor. And so far he’s showing that to be the case.