Jaylon Smith Extends Another 5 Years with the Cowboys

Linebacker Jaylon Smith has signed a lucrative seven year contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys, it was announced on Tuesday.

Jaylon Smith’s new deal is worth $64 million with £35.5 million guaranteed. It’s fair to say that he’s earned his payday the hard way.

Jaylon Smith was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. However, he missed his rookie season due to nerve damage in his knee. The Cowboys did not know whether or not he could be the same player he was at Notre Dame.

Jaylon Smith came back in a big way, and has played in 32 straight games, of which 22 were starts. 

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“Y’all have been badgering my ass to get a contract done for the last three weeks. This is a contract story,” Jones said. “And this is a contract story that is not just this year or not just next year, this has it all. It has overcoming, it has talent. It has rewarding an ambition. Or it just has the beginning of what ambition will get you in the future. That’s the biggest, most exciting thing about this.”

The Jones family joined Smith at the announcement press conference, and he made sure to thank them. 

“You took a risk, a $4.5 million risk, had I never been able to play again,” Smith told the Joneses.

“So me understanding that, it was my duty for them to get the return on their investment. They’ve been able to do that. And now I’m fortunate enough to really be a Cowboy for life, [which] is what I want. I’m thankful to be here, for sure.”

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Obviously, they couldn’t get away from the press without talking about Amari Cooper, Dak Prescott or Ezekiel Elliott. Executive stephen Jones assured all present that the Cowboys are still working on that.

“We’ve obviously got a feel, and we still do want to get Amari and Zeke and Dak signed. That’s still huge for us. Very optimistic. I know they’re no different than Jaylon. They want to be here. They want to be Cowboys. I still stand by we want to get them contracts that they’re having their happy moment like (Smith) and it’s still good for the team.”