Report: Cowboys' Jaylon Smith has 'no significant change' in nerve

The playing future of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith reportedly remains as unclear as it did almost a year ago.

Smith has experienced "no significant change" in the nerve of the knee he suffered a devastating injury to at the end of his college career, a source told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

However, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones was optimistic about Smith's chance of playing when asked Tuesday, and said the team believes the linebacker can play with a brace on his knee.

"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," Jones said, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Rapoport adds the Cowboys are assuming the nerve will never fire and he will play despite it.

Smith tore his ACL and MCL in Notre Dame's bowl game in January 2016. However, it was the nerve damage that kept the 21-year-old sidelined throughout his rookie season after the Cowboys selected him with the 34th overall pick in last year's draft.