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Should the Dallas Cowboys be done with Damien Wilson?

By Steven Mullenax

ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Damien Wilson #57 of the Dallas Cowboys runs a route against the Minnesota Vikings during a preseason game on August 29, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - AUGUST 29: Damien Wilson #57 of the Dallas Cowboys runs a route against the Minnesota Vikings during a preseason game on August 29, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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After posting yet another underwhelming season as a role player, is it time for the Dallas Cowboys to be done with linebacker Damien Wilson?

In 2017, the Dallas Cowboys could have fielded one of the best linebacker corps in the entire NFL. Instead, injuries riddled this positional group and the team suffered for it. Suddenly, the tide has turned and the positional of linebacker looks like it could be a major area of need for the Cowboys this offseason.

Sean Lee is the unquestioned leader of this linebacker corps, and the Dallas defense as a whole. But he also has a long, depressing injury history. And after posting two Pro Bowl seasons remaining relatively healthy, Lee was forced to miss five games in 2017. And it is no coincidence that the Cowboys went 1-4 during his absence.

The veteran linebacker, entering his 9th season in the NFL, will turn 32-years old prior to the start of the upcoming season. Betting that Lee will play all 16 games this year is a gamble the Cowboys can not afford to take.

Fortunately for the Cowboys, a gamble they took on linebacker Jaylon Smith has paid off. Dallas drafted Smith in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft despite the fact that he suffered a devastating knee injury in his final college game that threatened to end his professional career before it began.

Smith spent his entire rookie season rehabilitating from that injury. The 22-year old was able to play all 16 games for the Cowboys in 2017, starting at middle linebacker for six of those contests. Smith didn’t appear to suffer any physical setbacks and is expected to play a much bigger role for the Cowboys this year.

The fact is, both Lee and Smith come with very serious injury concerns. So it is very important that the Cowboys possess quality depth behind them. And since linebacker Anthony Hitchens is currently a free agent, that could potentially leave Dallas with Damien Wilson in a very pivotal role.

A former fourth round selection out of Minnesota in 2015, Wilson has been a hit-or-miss player his entire career in Dallas. He did start nine games for the Cowboys last season, but he is more of a role player in this defense. Entering his fourth season, and in the final year of his rookie contract, the 24-year old has shown little growth during his time in Big D.

But concerns about giving Wilson a larger role in this defense extends beyond the field. In 2016, the young linebacker missed a good portion of training camp due to an eye injury he suffered while playing paintball.

Last season, Wilson was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon during a dispute over a parking spot. In October, a grand jury cleared him of those charges. But there is a disturbing pattern developing.

Next: 4 positions that the Cowboys must address via the draft

If the Cowboys are unable to re-sign Hitchens in the offseason, Dallas must retool this linebacker corps with quality depth. One more off-the-field incident or more inconsistent play, and the Cowboys could easily be done with Damien Wilson. And who does that leave them with?

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