Now that Sean Lee wants to return, here’s why the Dallas Cowboys must bring him back
One shoe has dropped regarding the future of Dallas Cowboys linebacker See Lee.
Retirement is not on the table.
His agent Mike McCartney confirmed on Monday that Lee is very excited to play in 2020.
The question now is where.
Will Lee be back with the Cowboys for an 11th season or will he take his talents elsewhere? Lee turns 34 on July 22, right before the start of training camp.
McCartney said those things still are being worked through, but he will go wherever he has to in order to continue his career.
Vice president Stephen Jones said last week that the Cowboys are just starting to go over personnel with new coach Mike McCarthy and no decision has been made on Lee for 2020.
Considering Lee’s play in 2019 and the uncertainty surrounding weakside linebacker Leigton Vander Esch’s condition, despite optimistic expectations of his recovery from neck surgery, there shouldn’t be anything to decide.
Bring him back.
Lee, known to be injury prone since he was picked in the second round in 2010, played in a career-high 16 games for the first time in his career in 2019.
He played in more than 58 percent of the defensive snaps in 10 of the last 11 games and recorded a season-high 17 tackles in the second to last game of the season.
His presence and production was necessary because of Vander Esch played in only nine games due to a neck stinger and was sidelined for the final six. Vander Esch underwent a minimally invasive neck surgery after the season and is expected to be ready to go for the start of the off-season program.
But he also suffers from spinal stenosis. And while the Cowboys are fitting him with special equipment to restrict his neck movement — and all confident he will be okay to play in 2020 and beyond — he could be sidelined for good with the wrong hit.
Lee offers proven insurance for Vander Esch and prevents the Cowboys from having to overspend on the position in the draft or free agency.
Lee took a pay cut to return in 2019, earning $2 million in base salary plus incentives.
He wants to stay in Dallas.
A similar deal should ensure his return in 2020.
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
