theoneandonly

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FRISCO
Forget the draft, the most intriguing player for the Cowboys this spring is the same as last spring, and other than Jerry Jones, no one knows anything about Jaylon Smith.

Per Doctor Jerry, the linebacker is improving and he should be cleared for full contact in training camp.

Right now the plan is for Smith to wear a brace for the dreaded “dropped foot.” If Smith is trying to play with a dropped foot, the Cowboys should drop everything and plan to select not one but two linebackers during this week’s NFL draft.

Rolando McClain couldn’t resist the purple drank so he’s not walkin’ through that door, and planning for Sean Lee to play a full 16 games again is like betting on Donald Trump to refrain from tweeting.

Until the Cowboys can watch Jaylon Smith play a football game, or even participate in a full football practice, where he hits other football players, the best plan is just to assume he is done. That he was the gamble that crapped out.

On Monday, Jerry was selling his latest risk-pick like the latest “undervalued car” on the lot that you simply can’t ignore.

“I can’t tell you how excited we drafted Jaylon last year,” Jerry said. “That feels good.”

Jerry is alone with this sentiment. This, of course, is not unusual.

After watching the Cowboys’ defense last year it’s readily apparent they don’t need defensive bodies. They need defensive players. They need guys who can make substantial plays around and at the ball. They have enough guys who make tackles eight and 10 yards down the field.

Coming out of Notre Dame, Smith was a better version of Sean Lee. But as it stands today the status of Smith being a real player is a myth subsidized by a Jerry prayer.

Smith has yet to play a football game since he shredded his knee on Jan. 1, 2016, in Notre Dame’s game against Ezekiel Elliott and Ohio State.

Despite the knee damage, the Cowboys’ selected the player with the 34th overall pick in last year’s draft. It was a classic Vegas Jerry move.

Sometimes those risks work, and turn out to be Dez Bryant. Or they crap out when the player is Randy Gregory.

Unlike those aforementioned players, who had the dreaded “character” red flags attached to their draft reports, the only strike on Smith’s card was the knee.

But after interviewing Smith, the Cowboys were smitten. Smith’s personality and considerable charisma could convince an atheist to try out Sunday school.

Jerry drafted Smith because he had a top-10 player in the second round. The bargain was the priority. Jerry is a billionaire and yet is eternally enamored with 20 percent off. Perhaps that’s why he is a billionaire.

All that had to happen for Jerry to get the so-desired good deal to work is that Smith’s knee had to heal nicely. Or the way the doctors who told Jerry and the Cowboys, “It should.”

It hasn’t.

It’s one year later and Smith has yet to hit another player, and now the plan is for him to wear a brace as he deals with nerve damage caused by that scary hit.

There are sprinkles of encouraging news that the “nerve is firing!” in Smith’s knee.

On Monday, Jerry said Smith is, “lifting those toes, lifting those toes, feeling those toes.”

It’s exciting and uplifting to watch Smith to run around cones or do a few drills on Instagram.

But that isn’t football. He has not asked that knee to play the game yet.

This was always a part of the risk: that the knee simply may never recover.

What Jerry is selling is different than what Smith may not be able to physically deliver.

“I’m not being an optimist over this ... he’s warranted in my view of what we had him evaluated and hoped he would be when we drafted him in the second (round),” Jerry said. “He’s made that a good pick.”

If you are wondering how the other linebacker the Cowboys could have selected at that spot — UCLA’s Myles Jack — has done to date it’s not a big loss. Jack was picked two slots after Smith, but played in only 21 percent of the Jaguars’ defensive snaps last season, and finished with a half a sack.

But he played 16 games and started 10.

Even if Smith’s knee doesn’t fully respond, he plans to play. With a brace. Even though the Cowboys know of no other player who has ever done this successfully at this position. There are some examples of offensive linemen pulling it off, but a linebacker is a more demanding set of circumstances.

No one knows how this is going go, and no one with the Cowboys is drinking from Jerry’s Fountain of Endless Optimism on this one.

The hope is that Smith is the steal Jerry dreams of landing because the team needs it. That he is type of defender who makes substantial plays around and at the ball. Because they already have enough guys who make tackles eight and 10 yards down the field.

Read more here: Jerry Jones' gamble appears to have missed on Jaylon Smith | Fort Worth Star-Telegram
 

Doomsday

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That's low man....have you no decency!!!

LOL

myimagehost
 

theoneandonly

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The Dallas Cowboys remain optimistic that linebacker Jaylon Smith will return to the playing field and make an impact in 2017 after missing his rookie season with a left knee injury that left lingering nerve damage. However, former San Diego Chargers team orthopedic surgeon turned sports medical analyst Dr. David Chao says the science doesn’t support a full recovery.

Chao penned a lengthy piece for the San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday about what we know thus far in regards to Smith’s injury. And, while he didn’t dispute we may see Smith on the football field this season, he questioned the claim he’ll make a full recovery.

“Any nerve injury is unpredictable; however, the typical pattern is for the majority of recovery to be early in the first few days/weeks and sometimes months,” Chao wrote. “The longer it takes, the less likely it is to fully recover.

“Unfortunately, Smith’s injury timeline is approaching a year-and-a-half, and his continued use of an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) brace indicates that may be a permanent need.”

Smith suffered the injury in his final collegiate game at Notre Dame on New Year’s Day against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. However, the Cowboys shocked a lot of people by taking him with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Once considered a top-5 prospect, Smith’s successful return could help take the 13-3 Cowboys over the top in 2017. However, if he can’t get back to becoming the player many assumed he’d be, it could delay the Cowboys’ attempt to rebuild their defensive unit.

Chao admittedly hasn’t examined Smith in person, but he does have the experience to note the percentages and the likelihood of a recovery from this type of injury. So, if you’re a Cowboys fan or a fan of Jaylon Smith as a person, you’ve got to hope he can beat the odds to not just return but thrive.

Full recovery unlikely for Jaylon Smith, says former NFL team doctor
 

yimyammer

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That article, if posted at the zone, would spark a multi-thousand view thread almost assuredly culminating in a relentless back and forth between fuzzy and one or more posters
 

ThoughtExperiment

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I don't think there's any doubt that Fuzzy knows more than an orthopedic surgeon who for years was an NFL team physician and has actually worked with hundreds of professional athletes.
 

theoneandonly

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That article, if posted at the zone, would spark a multi-thousand view thread almost assuredly culminating in a relentless back and forth between fuzzy and one or more posters

It did and it will. The usual fan boys with mud slinging and character assassination on David Chao. Oh and Dan Cooper said 9-15 months, only problem is we are at 16 months. BTW he wont be doing any on the field stuff with the rookies. Wonder they'll say at OTAs.
 

yimyammer

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It did and it will. The usual fan boys with mud slinging and character assassination on David Chao. Oh and Dan Cooper said 9-15 months, only problem is we are at 16 months. BTW he wont be doing any on the field stuff with the rookies. Wonder they'll say at OTAs.

:lol

its amazing how much time these yo-yos spend arguing over this issue

whatever will be, will be. We just gotta wait & see
 

cmd34

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It made for a great story. That's all you need out of the 34th pick. You're so dumb UVAwahoos. Everyone knows that.

I hope he makes it because he seems like a great kid. Unfortunately, this is what happens with a owner pretending to be a GM; no real consequences. He knew it was a suspect move at the time which is why they made up the story that New England wanted him.

This year's draft was very solid, at least early on, so hopefully they have finally learned.
 
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