Dallas Cowboys: Is 2018 Jaylon Smith’s breakout season?
The Dallas Cowboys had a complete season from Jaylon Smith in 2017. Can this upcoming season be the breakout year for Smith at linebacker?
Jaylon Smith’s tenure with the Dallas Cowboys over the past two seasons has been one of great intrigue, with his first season with the franchise hampered by an injury suffered at Notre Dame and its subsequent rehabilitation. Then came this past season, where Smith had the opportunity to play in all 16 games and have an actual rookie season in the NFL.
In his first season on the field in game action for the Cowboys, Smith not only played a full season, but made six starts, and the 6-2, 245 pound linebacker totaled 81 tackles (50 solo), with two forced fumbles and one sack. Smith’s lone sack was against the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 22, and his forced fumbles came vs. the 49ers and the New York Giants.
Splitting Smith’s 2017 season in half, he had two games of 10 tackles within the first four weeks of the season with a 10-tackle game against the Denver Broncos in Week 2 and 10 tackles against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4, as those were his two games of double-digit tackles.
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In the first eight games of last season, Smith collected 50 of his 81 combined tackles, lone sack and both of his forced fumbles. In the second eight-game stretch of the 2017 season, Smith had 31 combined tackles, no sacks and no forced fumbles. Smith did have an eight-tackle game vs. the Los Angeles Chargers and two five-tackle games vs. the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.
Even though Smith’s numbers dropped in the second half of last season, one must also remember that Smith was playing in his rookie season on the field, and not only recovering from his knee surgery, but getting used to the feel of playing on the surgically repaired knee for the first time. Smith also had to get accustomed to playing a 16-game schedule for the first time in his career.
Overall, with Smith’s play in 2017, it is tough to say he didn’t play well because he did, for all the obstacles he had placed in front of him since joining the Cowboys. Smith did well, and this upcoming season, one can most likely expect even more from the linebacker as he not only seems fully recovered from his injury, but he’ll be without the brace on his leg as well.
This upcoming season will also be very interesting to watch for Smith for yet another reason, as he’ll move to middle linebacker from the outside linebacker spot he played at last season. Playing with Sean Lee and rookie Leighton Vander Esch should bring a lot of excitement from the linebacker position for the Cowboys, with Vander Esch still being a mystery as he’s yet to take an NFL snap.
As for Lee, he’s entering his ninth NFL season at 31 years old. Smith not only could have a breakout season, but he’s going to need to become the new leader of the Cowboys’ defense because he’s the future of the defense being successful for a long period of time.
Even with there not being a lot to the overall body of work for Smith at the NFL level, it is still safe to go back to see the potential the linebacker displayed last season and determine Smith has a realistic opportunity to really make a name for himself throughout the entire NFL. Smith was drafted in the second round — even with the injury — for a reason, and that reason is he has the capability to cause damage to the opposing offense and the abilities to be a star in the NFL.
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If Smith’s health doesn’t become a factor, Smith will have his breakout season in year two on the field, and the Cowboys will reap the awards of his play if he reaches that true potential.