Jaylon Smith's progress has generated excitement within the Cowboys organization.
But it will be at least another two weeks before the media gets to witness what he's able to do on the football field.
Club officials said during the draft that Smith would participate in the team's rookie minicamp that begins later this week. Head coach Jason Garrett has clarified that stance, saying the linebacker would do little of the work on the field but will take part in the meetings and walk-thrus.
Smith, who sat out his rookie season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his left knee, is taking part in Phase Two of the team's offseason program with the veterans. The majority of that work is running and lifting, but the coaches do get to spend 45 minutes with the players on the field twice a week.
Since Smith is taking part in those sessions on Tuesday and Thursday of this week, the club doesn't want to stack too many days on top of the other at this stage.
"Jaylon is going to go through the rookie minicamp," Garrett said. "He's going to do the veteran stuff on the field Tuesday and Thursday, so I don't anticipate him doing a lot on the field over the weekend. But he'll go through the meetings and the walk-thrus."
Garrett is always intrigued to see what kind of shape the players are in at this stage of the offseason program. That interest is elevated with Smith.
"It's particularly exciting to see him," Garrett said. "It seemed like he handled the work well last week. He's just done an amazing job from the start with his rehab, taking it day by day, making progress, and we'll continue to do that.
"If he takes that approach, that's when he's going to have his most success and that's what he's done up to this point."
The next phase of the offseason program, where players taken part in 11-on-11 drills, begins in the last full week of May.
