Dallas Cowboys: Is Sean Lee playing special teams a terrible idea?

After a nine-career plagued by injuries, should the Dallas Cowboys really allow veteran linebacker Sean Lee to participate on special teams this season?

Injuries are a major concern for any team in the NFL throughout the year. But especially during the offseason, at training camp, and into the preseason. Why? Because an injury suffered during these times could rob you of opportunities to make an impact when the games actually count.

No player knows this better than Dallas Cowboys veteran linebacker Sean Lee. The two-time Pro Bowler was forced to miss the entire 2014 regular season after tearing his ACL during OTAs. Injuries have plagued the soon-to-be 34-year-old his entire nine-year career.

A first-team All-Pro selection in 2016, Lee could have been on a Hall of Fame path if not for being injury-prone. It’s a label he’s been unable to shake since college. At Penn State, Lee missed the entire 2008 season due to a torn ACL. It’s likely the main reason he dropped to the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Over the past two years alone, Lee has missed a total of 14 games due to injury. In fact, he hasn’t played a full-16 game season in his entire professional career either due to injury or out of fear that he might get injured. In total, Lee could have played a total of 144 contests for the Cowboys over the past nine seasons. Instead, he’s only played in 93 games over that span.

Lee been sidelined a whopping 51 games over his NFL career. That humbling fact is one of the reasons the Cowboys opted to draft Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. And it appears Dallas found themselves a real gem in the Wolf Hunter, as the rookie earned a Pro Bowl nomination in his first season after leading the team with 140 combined tackles.

In fact, Vander Esch was also recently voted one of the top 100 players in the league by his peers, landing at No. 74 on the list. Combined with the improving play of former second rounder Jaylon Smith, the Cowboys appear to possess the best linebacker corps in the NFL.

This upcoming season, Lee is expected to start at strongside linebacker alongside Vander Esch and Smith. But it doesn’t appear the 10-year linebacker is satisfied with those limited snaps. Here’s what Lee told Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk on Sunday about wanting to play special teams this year as well.

"“I am just trying to help anyway I can. I like being on the field. I want to try to make an impact. You can make a lot of plays on special teams, hopefully plays that can change a game. Having an impact anyway I can, that’s my goal.”"

It’s admirable that Sean Lee wants to make a difference no matter the role. But based on his extensive injury history and age, Lee’s top goal should be availability. The veteran linebacker will play a key role on the defense, starting in spot duty and serving as the primary backup to both Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch. But allowing Lee to play special teams, something he hasn’t done since 2011, seems like an unnecessary risk.