DALLAS — Stephen Jones was asked point blank after Day 3 of the 2022 NFL draft if the Dallas Cowboys expected fifth-round linebacker Damone Clark to play his rookie season.
"Absolutely," Jones told reporters at The Star.
Of course, the Cowboys' confidence in Clark's availability for his upcoming rookie season is reminiscent of another linebacker coming off a serious injury to start his career in Jaylon Smith. The Cowboys used their second-round pick in 2016 to take the Notre Dame linebacker who tore his ACL in his last collegiate game. Throughout Smith's rookie season, the Cowboys kept the possibility of Smith playing alive, even though it befuddled the media and earned scorn and derision.
It was a game of semantics. Jerry Jones wasn't saying that Smith would absolutely play, only that there was a chance he could play.
For Clark, like Smith before him, to have a shot at playing during his rookie season, he would need to start the year off on the physically unable to perform list, which nixes a player for at least the first six weeks to start the season. Teams have another five-week window after the initial six weeks to decide if a player is able to practice.
Once the player practices, then begins a 21-day window to either activate the player or place them on injured reserve. It wasn't until Dec. 13 that the Cowboys had to officially announce the end of Smith's rookie campaign.
"The price you would have had to pay is during those last three weeks of the season you wouldn't have had a roster spot that you think you need to use," Jerry Jones told "Shan & RJ" on 105.3 "The Fan" [KRLD-FM] on Dec. 13, 2016. "So that's a long-winded way of saying we had to fish or cut bait today. We decided to go ahead and put him on reserve."
The Cowboys are using a similar strategy with Clark six years later after the 2021 All-SEC performer received spinal fusion surgery when an MRI revealed a herniated disc at the NFL Scouting Combine in February.
"I think he’ll definitely, at a minimum, be a PUP guy," Stephen Jones said. "So he’ll miss six months from his time in surgery. This is a guy who works, works, works. Football is very important to him; very committed to getting back, and he’s going to work through his injuries. If anything, he’s going to be one of those guys who’s ahead of schedule.”
The Cowboys' linebacking corps can afford to wait for Clark to get back into football shape with Jabril Cox working his way back from an ACL injury and the addition of sixth-round linebacker Devin Harper from Oklahoma State. In the meantime, the Cowboys will continue to keep the hope alive that Clark will play a down in his rookie season.
Do you anticipate seeing Damone Clark play with the Cowboys in 2022? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.