Dallas Cowboys update status of several key starters ahead of Wildcard matchup vs. 49ers

The Dallas Cowboys got some welcomed news on Thursday as they prepare for their NFC Wildcard showdown vs. the San Francisco 49ers.

“Good news for the Cowboys, safety Jayron Kearse (hamstring), RB Tony Pollard and LT Tyron Smith (knee/ankle) were full participants in today’s practice,” John Machota tweeted.

Smith missed five games with an ankle injury and one due to COVID-19 protocols, but many believed the team was preserving the star left tackle for the playoffs and he could have played near the end of the regular season.

Pollard’s participation is just as notable for the Dallas Cowboys as he’s taken on a much larger role in the running attack this season.

Kearse has helped serve as a reliable starter in the back end of Dan Quinn’s defense, and with a surging San Francisco 49ers team coming to town this weekend, it will be important to have all hands on deck.

Dallas Cowboys keep key executive with extension

The Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay will remain with the franchise after speculation that he may be hired as a general manager elsewhere in the league. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network was the first to announce the deal, and the Cowboys finalized things shortly thereafter.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is thrilled McClay is staying, although he understands why the VP is a hot commodity amongst NFL front offices.

“I really enjoy working with Will. I can’t say enough about him,” McCarthy said. “He’s very astute at his approach and how the inner workings of the personnel department and the collaboration between Will, Stephen (Jones) and Jerry (Jones). We spent a tremendous amount of time together. And I enjoy working with him. He’s obviously someone that I know as an organization we would not want to lose. But he’s definitely worthy of any opportunity that pursues him.”

McClay currently oversees the Dallas Cowboys draft process and has been responsible for helping select the recent successful classes that walk through the door at AT&T Stadium. He received immense praise during free agency this year for bringing in Jayron Kearse, Damontae Kazee, Tarell Basham and Malik Hooker. With their help, the Cowboys defense has been much improved the Cowboys are headed to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed.

The VP has been with the Cowboys since 2009 in multiple roles. First, he served as the pro scouting coordinator from 2009-10. McClay became director of football research from 2011-13 and was the assistant director of player personnel from 2014-17 before assuming his current role the following year.

Prior the NFL, McClay was the head coach of the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League and served in various assistant capacities for a number of other AFL teams.

McClay, 55, is a native of Memphis, Tenn. and played college football at Rice.

The key figure behind the highly talented Dallas Cowboys roster is now in place for seasons to come.