The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of players who are going to need to be paid soon, including Jaylon Smith. Most of the discussion so far has centered around guys like Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, and even Byron Jones.
But Smith was drafted back in 2016 as well, and the Cowboys are going to have to pay him eventually. During a recent appearance on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Smith made it seem like he isn't too concerned about it.
“When it's time for Jerry [Jones] to cut the check it will happen.”
Smith is confident that the team will take care of him, and he isn't sweating the details or letting it distract him from the season ahead.
“For me it's just about embracing the season I'm in,” he explained. “Every game we treat like it's our last game. There's no promises to any of this.”
Fortunately for Dallas, they have a little bit more control over Smith's situation. Since he was never active during his rookie season due to the devastating knee injury he suffered at the end of his college career, he didn't accrue a year of service time. That means he'll be a restricted free agent instead of being unrestricted like Prescott.
The Cowboys are widely expected to put a second-round tender on Smith, which will help ensure they don't lose him. If another team wants to sign him to an offer sheet, they'd have to give up their second-round pick to Dallas.
The Cowboys took Smith early in the second-round back in 2016 even though there was fear he wouldn't be able to play again due to the knee injury, so they're clearly high on him. They'll likely lock him up at some point, even though his situation isn't as pressing.
When asked about his head coach and the fact that he's entering the final year of his deal without an extension as well, Smith said he thinks his coach feels the same way.
“I doubt Jason Garrett's really worrying about that,” he said.
Follow Us
Subscribe