Most people agree former Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith will need at least a year to recover from his serious knee injury suffered during the Fiesta Bowl and contribute in the NFL.

Jerry Jones isn’t buying it.

The first hint the Cowboys believed Smith would be able to play sooner than later came during the Draft, when they selected Smith early in the second round, much earlier than most draft experts expected.

Jones doubled down on that belief Thursday, telling Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan, the Cowboys will not put Smith on the season-ending Injured Reserve.

“We’ll take a chance he’ll be back for the playoffs,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan.

Smith tore his ACL and LCL and also suffered nerve damage during Notre Dame’s Fiesta Bowl loss, an injury that had some teams questioning whether he’ll be able to play at all in the future.

Smith was projected to be a Top 5 pick before his injury.