Cowboys' Jaylon Smith: Should be ready for April workouts

Smith (knee) is expected to be ready to join the Cowboys when their offseason workouts begin in April, Rob Phillips of DallasCowboys.com reports. "We anticipate him being in the offseason program and really doing everything from the outset, but we'll have to watch him as we go just like we would with anybody coming back from an injury," coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday.

Analysis:

The linebacker didn't play a snap as a rookie as he attempts to recover from nerve damage in his knee, but he's been posting a series of very impressive videos on social media showing him doing various drills without any apparent issues, creating some excitement regarding his role in 2017. Smith is still wearing a brace to support his lower leg and foot, however, and there's no guarantee the nerve will regenerate enough to allow him to play without it. How effective he might be in a game situation while wearing it remains to be seen.