Brad Sham, the voice of the Cowboys’ radio broadcast, was giving Sean Lee a hard time as the linebacker stood on the sideline during the Cowboys’ organized team activities Wednesday.
“When does the season start?” Lee responded, chuckling.
In all seriousness, the weakside linebacker would rather participate in team drills than watch. But the Cowboys are using an abundance of caution with Lee, who has missed 42 games in his eight-year career.
“It’s the same process we tend to use this time of year,” Lee said. “I get the governor put on me and have to be smart this time of year. It’s tough not being out there, because you want to be out there trying to lead from the front. But there’s perspective that’s kept this time of year, that we’ve got to build toward training camp and build toward the year. I’ve had an issue staying on the field. I felt in ’15 and ’16 we did a good job staying on the field. Last year, I didn’t. So I think we have a great game plan to try to keep me out there.”
Lee, who made All-Pro in 2016, missed five games last season with hamstring issues. His hamstrings have failed him at other times in his career, too.
So he and the Cowboys have come up with an offseason game plan to keep him healthy.
“I’m trying to do everything possible I can do to keep the hamstrings strong flexible, whether it comes to massage, whether it comes to stretching, flexibility, strengthening,” Lee said. “We’ve really hit that in the offseason, and the trainers and coaches have been great. But really more just kind of making sure we peak in camp and making sure we’re building toward that is what we want to do.”
Lee said his work will progress this offseason with the expectation he will do more each week leading up to the mandatory minicamp next month.
