OXNARD, Calif. -- Jaylon Smith's long wait to return to Dallas Cowboys game action will come to an end on Saturday.
Smith will play against the Indianapolis Colts, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. Smith has taken part in nine of the 12 padded practices so far in training camp, but he was held out of the Cowboys' first two preseason games.
"I'm excited," Jones said. "Very excited. Excited about his progress this camp."
The Cowboys selected Smith in the second round of the 2016 draft, despite a serious left knee injury that involved nerve damage. The injury scared many teams into keeping the linebacker off draft boards altogether. The Cowboys knew Smith would need to sit out a year as a rookie to recover, but they were willing to take the chance in part because their team physician, Dr. Daniel Cooper, performed Smith's surgery.
The rehab was a slow process, but in the past six to eight months, Smith has started to see the damaged nerve regenerate, giving him more control of his left foot. He still wears a custom-made brace in practice, but he has seen improvement as camp has progressed.
On Monday, Smith had a sack of Kellen Moore, after forcing a fumble earlier. On Tuesday, he took first-team snaps at middle linebacker, while Sean Lee sat out due to a hamstring strain.
"I know he is driven. He is focused," Jones said. "If he can come out and contribute and have success, no one deserves it more than him. It's been real hard work and preparation, really overcoming his challenges. Nobody deserves it more than Jaylon. He has put that in and earned the respect of everybody associated with the Cowboys."