Linebacker Jaylon Smith is ramping up activity over a year after suffering nerve damage in his collegiate finale, but the Dallas Cowboys are going to take their time bringing him along.
Smith, who tore his ACL and MCL in Notre Dame’s Jan. 1, 2016 bowl game, missed the entire 2016 season, but is preparing to make his NFL debut this season. Still, the Cowboys are taking it slow with him.
“It seemed like he handled the work well last week, and he’s just done an amazing job right from the start with his rehab taking it day by day, making progress and we’ll continue to do that,” coach Jason Garrett said Sunday, via Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. “If he takes that approach, that’s when he’s going to have his most success. That’s what he’s done up to this point.”
Smith is eligible to participate in the team’s rookie minicamp, but the team won’t put him on the field during it.
“He’s going to do the veteran stuff on the field on Tuesday and Thursday, so I don’t anticipate him doing a lot on the field over the weekend,” Garrett said. “But he’ll go through the meetings and the walk-throughs.”
Smith’s nerve damage is reportedly improving, and the hope is that he’ll be able to start the season, even though the damage was exceptionally severe.
