Since returning to the field in the 2017 NFL season, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith has continued to make progress to making his way completely back from a devastating knee injury that nearly derailed his entire NFL career.
Smith has made more progress this offseason with being able to shed the knee brace on his left leg that has allowed him to move around with more flexibility and range. Head coach Jason Garrett has weighed in the situation stating that he believes the former Norte Dame product is hedging toward his level of play that he had during his collegiate days that made him one of the best linebackers in the country, according to Brandon George of The Dallas Morning News.
Jason Garrett asked if LB Jaylon Smith looks like he did in college: "I think he's getting close to that."
— Brandon George (@DMN_George) July 26, 2018
The Cowboys have high hopes for Smith to develop further into being a staple of their linebacker core for the long haul. It has been a long process for the 22-year-old that he has had to recover from suffering severe damage to the peroneal nerve in his left leg that occurred in the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State on New Year’s Day in 2016. This has put in the situation of having to rebuild the strength and feeling back in his leg that required him to have to wear a brace that limited his mobility.
Despite all of that, he was able to put together a productive first year playing in all 16 regular season games this past year, notching 82 tackles. However, there were some notable limitations in his ability on the field that he’s hoping shedding the brace will help him become a more explosive and productive player on the field next season.
The fact that Garrett has taken notice of Smith’s progression back from the injury could mean that he may be headed toward a breakout year in the 2018 campaign.
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