Dallas Cowboys fans got some good news the other day, as last year’s second-round draft pick, Jaylon Smith, seems to be on track to make his debut in 2017. After sitting out the entire season, last year, Smith has been taking part in all of the Cowboys OTA’s, and minicamps, during the run up to Cowboys Training camp later this summer.
Dallas’ head coach Jason Garrett is pleased with Smith’s progress, but isn’t quick to say if he’ll be ready by September’s opening game saying, “We’re not going to make a lot of predictions about what he can or can’t do,” Garrett said, via USA Today Sports. “We’re just going to keep progressing the way we have. He’s made a lot of strides and we’re very optimistic about him.”
However, Smith may have different views on if he’ll be ready, “The nerve’s regenerating, so I’m doing great, It’s all God’s timing. I see a lot of growth. I see a lot of ways that I can improve. But honestly, it’s just an every-day grind,” Smith said. “When you take a year off, it’s a lot of things that you’ve got to get back used to, but it’s been a great ride. I’m playing very well.” (247 Sports)
Smith hasn’t played a down on a football field since tearing both his ACL and MCL in his final college football game, when he was a member of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish some 18months ago.
Now, with his knee completely healed up, it’s just a waiting game on if that nerve in his knee will come back to 100-percent. Back in March, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported, “#Cowboys reality now is they are no longer waiting for Jaylon Smith’s knee to fire. They’re proceeding as if it won’t & he’ll play anyway”.
And, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones saying on the matter, ‘We think he’s going to be real effective, but how effective remains to be seen, and that’s why I think it’s difficult to say, ‘Well, we expect him to be the dominant player he was at Notre Dame.’ That’s probably high expectations. Is it possible? Absolutely.”
All of this points to the return of what was once looked at as a sure-fire first-round draft pick who has the ability to be a game changing pass rusher. This is exactly what the Cowboys need on their defense. As last year, the defense lacked the ability to consistently get to the quarterback.
A problem that held them back from finishing last year potentially against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. And, if they had the type of pass rusher that Smith can be, who knows, maybe Dallas would have had their first Super Bowl title since 1995.
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