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Cowboys do right by LB Sean Lee, giving him chance to earn additional $2 million he lost out on in 2015
By Brandon George

The Dallas Cowboys did right by linebacker Sean Lee this week, giving him a chance to make up for the $2 million he lost out on last season by missing the final game with a strained hamstring.

The Cowboys on Monday reworked Lee's contract, giving him the chance to earn an additional $2 million in per-game roster bonuses in 2016, sources said. Lee has the chance to earn $125,000 per game, sources said, if he can stay healthy.

The Cowboys also converted $2 million of Lee's $3 million base salary into a signing bonus, sources said, although it doesn't clear any cap space for the club in 2016.

Lee had a play-time incentive in his contract that stipulated if he played in 80 percent or more of the Cowboys' defensive snaps in 2015 his base salary in 2016 would have increased by $2 million to $5 million.

Going into the season finale a year ago against Washington, Lee had played in 82.1 percent of the Cowboys' defensive snaps (812 of 989). But with Lee missing the last game, he finished the year by only playing in 77 percent of the 1,054 total defensive snaps for the Cowboys in 2015.

Lee also missed the Cowboys' Week 10 game in 2015 at Tampa Bay because he suffered his second concussion of the season the prior week against Philadelphia.

Lee also has the play-time incentive in his contract for 2016. If he plays in at least 80 percent of the snaps in 2016, his base salary in 2017 jumps from $7 million to $9 million.

On Wednesday, Lee was named the Cowboys' recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award and the Defensive MVP for 2015 after he earned his first Pro Bowl trip a year ago. Lee hasn't practiced recently because of a sore knee. He had an MRI on his knee Monday, but the results were favorable for the Cowboys.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday that Lee is fine and will be ready for the season opener Sept. 11 against the New York Giants.

"Sean just goes through times, he's one of those guys who wants to always check everything out, but he's going to be fine," Jones said. "We'll manage him just like we always have, but I expect Sean just to have a fabulous year. He's prepared, he's ready to go and of course he'll be ready to go against the Giants."
 
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'I'm going to kick the trainer's ass,' jokes Jerry Jones after Sean Lee MRI
By SportsDayDFW.com

Stephen Jones said on Wednesday he has no concerns about linebacker Sean Lee's knee.

"None," Jones said after the Cowboys Kickoff Luncheon at AT&T Stadium on Wednesday. "I expect Sean Lee to have a fantastic year."

Stephen Jones also said Lee will be ready to play vs. the Giants in Week 1.

Jerry Jones had joined 105.3 The Fan earlier Wednesday morning to talk about Lee's knee - and the MRI that apparently wasn't very publicized.

"No one knew Sean Lee was getting an MRI but the trainer," Jones said. "And I'm gonna kick his ass."

Still, Jones said, "There's no issue with Sean Lee and him playing."

SportsDay's Kate Hairopoulos reported Lee's injury keeping him out of practice Tuesday. She wrote that even though Jason Garrett said the issue shouldn't last long - and the MRI was supposedly encouraging - that no knee questions for Sean Lee are good.

After his first Pro Bowl season, Lee had arthroscopic left knee surgery in April. He missed the entire 2014 season after tearing his left ACL during offseason workouts.

Lee said during training camp in Southern California that playing a 16-game schedule for the first time in his seven-year career is the goal.

"I'm working to do that, working to play at a higher level," he said. "I expect more out of myself this year."

Lee won both courage and defensive awards at the luncheon for his 2015 Pro Bowl season after an ACL tear kept him out in 2014. He also rocked the checkered suit jacket.

Next: He hopes to step up his game on the field.
 
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