OXNARD, Calif. -- When Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo looks to his left, he has a sense of calm.

The reason is simple: Tyron Smith.

“There is an ease because he is there,” Romo said. “It’s not very often, but he, like anybody, may get beat. You are not going to see that happen multiple times.”

The Cowboys rewarded Smith with a 10-year deal worth $110 million on Wednesday. His eight-year extension averages $12.2 million per season, making him the highest paid tackle in the NFL.

At 23, Smith will protect not only Romo’s blindside -- the quarterback has said he has another four or five years left at a high level – but also Romo's successor.

“He deserves everything he got,” Romo said. “And I don’t know that he is overpaid. He is that good.”