Jerry Jones says the Dallas Cowboys won't place Jaylon Smith on injured reserve when the season starts despite his recovery from a serious knee injury.

"We'll take a chance he'll be back for the playoffs," Jones said of the linebacker.

Smith tore the anterior and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee and also suffered nerve damage in Notre Dame's Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State. Structurally the knee is sound, cleared at the medical re-check in Indianapolis, but the nerve issue scared off teams from putting Smith on their draft boards.

Smith was set to be a top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft but the injury dropped him into the second round.