Second-year Cowboys safety Jakar Hamilton has been suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
A seventh-round pick out of Baylor last year, Hamilton is the second member of the Dallas secondary to be suspended for this offense this preseason, cornerback Orlando Scandrick being the first. Scandrick also got four games.
This certainly won’t help Hamilton’s chances of making the team. He’s impressed coaches this preseason but has struggled to stay healthy, missing preseason opener against the Chargers with a concussion and last week’s dress rehearsal game against the Dolphins with a hamstring issue. He'll be placed on the reserve/suspended list.
“Jakar’s done a really nice job. Unfortunately, he has been banged up here the last couple weeks,” head coach Jason Garrett told the team’s website. “He’s a guy that really, really made great strides, both as a back end safety, played a little bit as a nickel guy, he’s improved on special teams. He has a lot of physical ability, and the big thing with him, like a lot of young guys, is simply maturing as a player. He definitely demonstrated that. But he has been out the last couple weeks. We like him a lot, and he’s certainly developed quickly for us, but his injury’s certainly a factor in our evaluation of him.”
Hamilton is eligible to play in tonight's preseason finale.
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