The Cowboys star left tackle has had some luster knocked off his shine over the last two seasons. When healthy, he is still a dominating run blocker and near-impenetrable wall of pass protection. However he’s been less healthy than in previous years and his absence and play when not near his physical best have caused some concern. Last season, Smith missed chunks or all of five different contests and quarterback Dak Prescott felt every second of the drop off to the backups.

Prescott was sacked 19 times in those five games, but was only sacked 13 times in the other 11. Groin and knee injuries have impacted his availability, but it’s two years of recurring back issues at the core of his issues. Fortunately for Cowboys fans and more importantly Prescott, Smith claims he’s in a much better place now.

Speaking from teammate Tyrone Crawford’s football camp and to the Mothership, Smith dished on his early start to the offseason.

“I’m feeling great now,” Smith said. “Actually, I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve been in a while. I’ve taken this offseason to get back into it a little early and try to take care of my body a little more. I’m just doing the little small (rehab) things and I just feel awesome right now.”

Smith opened up the perks of his new training regiment.

“I went to California and went to a facility out there and starting training and rehabbing a little early,” he said. “We just worked on the little things like stretching and taking pressure off my back and opening up my hips a little bit. It’s just little things but I’m feeling great.”

Smith posted his lowest grade with Pro Football Focus, 79.7, since the 2012 season. After being known as one of the best tackles in the game, he ranked just No. 20 in 2017. He placed 16th in pass blocking efficiency, giving up three sacks, four hits and 13 hurries.

In 2016 he ranked eighth after finishing seventh in 2015 and sixth in 2014. 2013 saw him with a career-high of third.

His 2017 Approximate Value from Pro Football Reference was also the lowest since his second season.

Dallas fortified their tackle position with the addition of swing tackle Cameron Fleming from New England. The Byron Bell signing of 2017 was a dud and Chaz Green, a former third-round pick has not materialized into a player who can be trusted. The two combined to allow seven of the 12 sacks the team allowed in Week 10 and Week 11 when Smith missed back-to-back games.

Smith hopes avoiding surgery on his back was the move to right the wrongs and avoid being out of the lineup in 2018.

“My back is really restricted me a lot,” said Smith, who was still named to the Pro Bowl in 2017, for the fifth straight year. “But it’s feeling really good right now. We did some MRIs and it never was to the point where I needed surgery. I wanted to stay away from surgery. So I’m happy where we are right now.”