Mailbag: Pressure on Overshown to return?

I’m very concerned that perhaps one of the most talented players on the roster, especially on defense, may be rushing back. Given the defense’s struggles, particularly at linebacker, is too much pressure being put on DeMarvion Overshown to return, considering he’s had two major knee injuries? – Danny Whitehouse/Kingsland, TX

Nick: The Cowboys don’t rush players back from injuries, especially severe knee injuries. So let’s just get that out here first and foremost. The Cowboys are not going to send Overshown out on the field if he’s not ready to go.

Secondly, the NFL’s injured reserve system is designed not to rush players back. They let them open a 21-day window of practice just to see how they respond. That’s enough time to see if he can come back and play football. And also, he’s been out a full year now. So there is no rushing anything back.

Now if he’s ready to play in a few weeks, then the Cowboys expect him to go out there and play well. But even at that, it doesn’t mean he will play 100 percent of the snaps. We’ve seen guys come back and still be on a pitch count. That’s what happened with Trevon Diggs for a couple weeks to start the season. It could happen with Overshown, too. But I don’t think there’s any added pressure on him. When he returns, it’ll be because he’s ready.

Patrik: So … here’s my thing. If the team’s medical staff holds DeMarvion Overshown out for most of or the entirety of the season, there will be rampant speculation of a supposed setback. But when they deem him ready to go, and right on the schedule he set for himself, no less, an impressive feat, the speculation is they’re somehow rushing him back? I do think everyone needs to pick a narrative to struggle with and stay there. I’m being serious here. I’m not on the medical staff. I’m no doctor. This is to say neither are most fans, and those who are don’t have access to Overshown’s scans, records, progress reports, etc. … so all I can go on is what I see and hear. The rest is just waiting and seeing. But what I also believe most are missing is it’s because he went through this before, it helped speed up this recovery because he knows what the benchmarks are, how to hit them and how his knee is supposed to feel once he does; and the fact it’s not the same knee. We all saw how quickly he got to top form after the first one so, in my opinion, he’s earned some trust when it comes to this topic.