Justin Durant won’t play Saturday, but ready for season

The household linebacker names on the Dallas Cowboys will be playing in the “dress rehearsal” Saturday against the Oakland Raiders.

Sean Lee, who has dealt with a hamstring injury in training camp, is expected to play, Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said. And so is Jaylon Smith, who returned to game action for the first time in almost 19 months last week against the Indianapolis Colts.

But don’t expect to see veteran linebacker Justin Durant. The Cowboys have been deliberate in bringing Durant along after signing him July 20.

Durant, 31, dealt with an elbow injury late last season, but says he is 100 percent. He worked his way back into team drills this past week in practice.

“It’s coming along really well,” Durant said. “I finally got a chance to do some things on 11-on-11. It’s been going pretty good.”

Still, the Cowboys aren’t going to rush Durant into game action. He is not expected to play until the regular-season opener Sept. 10 against the New York Giants. After all, the Cowboys have a good feel about what he can do going into his 11th season.

Durant was credited with 54 tackles, one sack, six quarterback pressures and four passes defensed in 13 games with the Cowboys last season. He has spent three of the past four seasons with the Cowboys, playing the 2015 season with Atlanta.

Durant has said he considered retirement before the 2016 season, but had no such thoughts going into this year.

“Nah, it was just how last season ended [with an injury],” Durant said. “Going into the off-season, I knew that I was going to play.”

Durant called the Cowboys linebackers corps “one of the best I’ve been around” with Lee and Smith leading the way.

Asked about his game-day role in the season, Durant said: “I have an idea, but I don’t know. I’m not sure yet. I think we have so much depth at linebacker, so whatever they need from me, I’ll be ready for. That’s the approach I’m taking.”

This story was originally published August 26, 2017 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Justin Durant won’t play Saturday, but ready for season."