The Cowboys gave up on WR Jimmy Smith after only 2 seasons and he ended up having an excellent career with the Jaguars. I don't think the Cowboys should give up on LVE too soon. I actually wished they used their 5th year option on him. So they wouldn't be obligated to use the franchise tag on him if he stays healthy and plays up to his ability. LVE is a HOF caliber talent.
Yeah the Cowboys have great success drafting linebackers in the first two rounds with serious and well documented injury history (PRIOR to the draft). The players played well WHEN healthy.
The guy obviously has had injury problems in the past and needs to stay fully healthy and ball out. If there is even the hint of long term issues with his neck, then I would pass on an extension even if he has a season like Lawrence Taylor. Staying on the field comes before performance (at least on good organizations with a GM that would be held accountable) when thinking about long term contracts.
HOF talent is just bs to get everyone's attention. It takes multiple years of extreme production and/or team success for players to be considered.
Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith should not have been drafted in the second round, nor given an extension. The Cowboys front office had and has nothing to lose by crapping draft picks away and gifting contract extensions.
Whichever idiot before is posting about total tackles from Jaylon as though they are as important as forcing fumbles, tackling for loss, pass breakups, sacks, hits on QB, tackling to stop a first down conversion, etc is just an emotional boob that does not wish to accurately weigh real performance.