Sean Lee's inability to stay on the field in Dallas served as the fatal Jenga piece for a Cowboys defense that crumbled to bits in 2013.
Sidelined by hamstring and neck injuries, the team's top linebacker missed five games down the stretch, capping a fourth consecutive campaign with fewer than 16 starts. With his health looming as a key offseason storyline for the 'Boys, Lee told The Dallas Morning News on Saturday that he's on the mend.
"Neck's getting better," he said. "It's on its way. I should be ready to go. I think we'll evaluate it more as the year goes on or the next couple months. But I should be ready for everything this offseason and be fine for next year."
Lee's streaky durability curtailed what arguably would have been an All-Pro campaign for one of the game's premier middle 'backers. Aware of that, Lee is determined to stay on the field from wire-to-wire for the first time as a pro in 2014.
"Avoiding the injuries that I can control is what I'm going to try to do at all costs by making sure I am physically prepared for the season and physically prepared for every game," he said. "After that, you have to go out there and play and hope you can stay healthy."
On a defense that bled 27 points per game and a league-worst 415.3 yards per outing, Lee's the most promising building block Dallas has. Team owner Jerry Jones dubbed the star linebacker "Superman," but Lee was the first to admit, "I haven't been healthy the last couple of years."
If he can go the entire way next season, this Cowboys defense will be an improved beast.
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