4 NFC East departures the Commanders won't miss in 2024
By Dean Jones
![Jason Kelce Jason Kelce](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4440,h_2497,x_467,y_308/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/61/01hts7kzs04ck66dtv3s.jpg)
Commanders won't miss Tyron Smith
Tyron Smith has been a cornerstone piece on the exceptional Dallas Cowboys offensive line from the moment he was drafted. The supremely gifted left tackle quickly emerged as one of the league's most accomplished blindside protectors. He had some complications on the injury front, but his production was always to a high standard.
Like Jason Kelce, Smith is walking away from the NFC East after 13 seasons. But instead of retiring, the veteran signed for the New York Jets. And there is a big challenge awaiting the two-time All-Pro during the next campaign.
Smith will be the Jets starting left tackle. He'll be tasked with providing quarterback Aaron Rodgers with enough protection to ensure he can hit the ground running on his return from a torn Achilles. There's just no telling how this might go or how much the former first-round pick out of USC has left, but he represents an immediate upgrade on anything they had previously.
The Washington Commanders probably waved off Smith from the NFC East with a sense of delight. He's been a constant thorn in their side for more than a decade. Dallas is among the Super Bowl favorites once again, but there's a level of uncertainty that perhaps wasn't there previously following several influential departures and almost no urgent activity in free agency.