Smith (knee) has progressed to being able to "pull his little toe up and down", Jeff Sullivan of the Cowboys' official site reports. "I hoped he'd be where he is right now 12 months ago, so I feel really good about how he's done and how he's going to do," said Cowboys director of rehabilitation Britt Brown.

EDGE Analysis

Smith reached a huge milestone in April by showing heightened muscle control in his injured knee and this most recent news proves the damaged nerve is continuing to regenerate. What's more, the Notre Dame product is fully recovered from the seemingly forgotten about ACL tear he suffered during that fateful 2016 Fiesta Bowl in which he originally suffered the devastating injury. However, there's one issue about Smith's potential return to the field that hasn't received much publicity; due to the nature of the nerve damage, he'll more than likely fatigue quicker than usual because other parts of the leg and body will be forced to overcompensate. This isn't an immediate concern as Smith still has several more hurdles to clear in order to suit up for the Cowboys' regular-season opener against the Giants on Sept. 10, but it could impact his playing time down the road. For now, look for the Cowboys to continue to take a limited approach with their 2016 second-rounder by preventing him from going full speed on back-to-back days, such as they did through OTAs and minicamp.

Smith (knee) will take part in the Cowboys' OTAs beginning Tuesday but is not expected to participate on consecutive days, Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 2016 second-round pick is still wearing a brace to correct foot drop stemming from nerve damage in his knee, but the fact that the nerve has begun to regenerate is encouraging and the team is confident he'll be able to play with the brace if necessary. Smith is the Cowboys' projected starter at middle linebacker this season and has a huge ceiling if he comes back from the injury 100 percent, but until he shows what he's still capable of on the field he'll remain a very risky IDP investment.

Smith (knee) will have his on-field activities limited during the Cowboys' rookie minicamp, Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram reports. "He's going to do the veteran stuff on the field on Tuesday and Thursday, so I don't anticipate him doing a lot on the field over the weekend," head coach Jason Garrett said Sunday. "But he'll go through the meetings and the walk-throughs [during the three-day minicamp]."

EDGE Analysis

The linebacker is still wearing a brace on his left leg to compensate for the drop foot condition stemming from the nerve damage in his knee, but the team is confident that Smith will be able to play with the brace if necessary. He remains a complete wild card in the Cowboys' defense for 2017, as if he's even close to 100 percent he could be an immediate impact player at middle linebacker, but there's still no guarantee he'll have a full recovery.

Smith (knee) is expected to take part in the Cowboys' rookie minicamp in a couple of weeks, Todd Archer of ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

The linebacker missed his entire rookie season after being drafted in the second round last year while recovering from nerve damage in his left knee, and while Smith has been a full participant in the team's offseason workout program, the May rookie minicamp should provide a window into how much progress he's actually made. A healthy Smith would compete for the starting MLB spot this season, but as yet there's still no guarantee he'll ever be 100 percent again.

Smith's (knee) nerves in his knee are starting to regenerate and he's increasing his muscle control in his injured knee, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was announced Friday that Smith was on track to participate in OTAs and training camp before making his NFL debut in 2017, and it's now clearer how far he has progressed in rehab. He reportedly can lift his toes and foot on his own for the first time since suffering the injury. He has a long way to go in recovery but it looks increasingly likely that he'll eventually make a full recovery.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones anticipates Smith (knee) being ready for the start of organized team activities on May 23, Jon Machota of The Dallas News reports."He's doing great," Jones added. "He's making great improvements. We're certainly more fired up than ever that we picked him last year."

EDGE Analysis

Smith is making steady progress in his recovery from nerve damage in his left knee and even attended the Cowboys' voluntary workouts this month. While he isn't up to full speed yet -- and may not be until training camp or later -- it seems the Dallas front office is much more concerned over when, not if, their 2016 second-rounder will be fully cleared to resume all football-related activities. Barring any sort of setback, Smith is still expected to make a significant contribution on defense in 2017.

Smith (knee) is expected to be ready to join the Cowboys when their offseason workouts begin in April, Rob Phillips of DallasCowboys.com reports. "We anticipate him being in the offseason program and really doing everything from the outset, but we'll have to watch him as we go just like we would with anybody coming back from an injury," head coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

The linebacker didn't play a snap as a rookie as he attempts to recover from nerve damage in his knee, but he's been posting a series of very impressive videos on social media showing him doing various drills without any apparent issues, creating some excitement regarding his role in 2017. Smith is still wearing a brace to support his lower leg and foot, however, and there's no guarantee the nerve will regenerate enough to allow him to play without it. How effective he might be in a game situation while wearing it remains to be seen.

Smith (knee) is running and cutting without issues, ESPN reports.

EDGE Analysis

Smith is sporting a leg brace to help lift up his foot while the nerves in his injured knee regenerate. He's expected to be ready in time for OTAs in May and the fact he continues to up his involvement in offseason workouts only affirms that notion. It isn't clear how long he'll need to wear the brace, but if push comes to shove, Smith will still be able to play even if he fails to shed the appendage. The only question is whether it will limit his effectiveness.

Smith says the nerve in his surgically repaired knee has begun regenerating, and the Cowboys are anticipating him being able to participate in their OTAs in May, Todd Archer of ESPN reports. "I'm getting my linear speed back like I said. I'm running a 4.5 right now so. ... But with the pace that I'm keeping up, you could tell that I'm definitely getting my linear speed back and the change of direction and things like that. I mean, I feel great," Smith said Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

The 2016 second round pick is still wearing a brace to support his foot and lower leg due to the nerve damage and says he thinks he'll be able to play while wearing it -- the fact that he's already able to post a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash backs up that level of optimism -- but if he fully recovers, he'll be able to shed the brace completely. Smith likely would have been a top five pick in his draft class were it not for the injury, so if he does make a full recovery, the Cowboys could be adding an impact player to the heart of their defense in 2017.

Smith (knee) is expected to be a key factor for the Cowboys' defense in 2017, Jon Machota of Dallas News reports.

EDGE Analysis

According to Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, Smith is slated to be a contributor next season upon full recovery from a knee issue that landed him on IR earlier this week. The 2016 second-round pick continues to rehab in hopes of nerve regeneration.