When the Cowboys took linebacker Jaylon Smith in the second round of the 2016 draft, they did so with the knowledge that nerve damage to Smith’s knee made it difficult to predict when he’d be able to play again.
A report from Ed Werder of ESPN last month stated that Smith has seen no “significant improvement” in his injured nerve and that it remains unlikely that Smith will be able to play this season. During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News, Jones didn’t offer much reason to dismiss that report while saying that the Cowboys didn’t anticipate anything different at this point.
“His progress is really undetermined, but that was to be expected,” Jones said. “He is not off plan at all. The rejuvenation of the nerve that would help him get in position to actually hit the playing field is not complete, but it is not behind. It was to be expected. Our doctors are not dismayed at all. I’m not. It’s the type of thing that could really come around. And if it comes around, we’ll take advantage of it.”
Jones added that Smith is “doing many things” that would qualify as progress, although anything short of a return to the field would fall short of the progress that the Cowboys will need to start realizing a return on their investment in the linebacker.