Jayron Kearse was supposed to be just a depth piece for the Dallas Cowboys when he signed last March. However, after a stellar campaign, Kearse came into the 2022 season as one of the leaders for the Cowboys defensively, but unfortunately, he has been out with a knee injury since Week 1.

Luckily for the Cowboys, Donovan Wilson has stepped up his game over the last month, and along with Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu, the safety position hasn't missed a beat. Kearse is the spearhead of the group though, and he was a full participant in practice for the Cowboys on Wednesday, meaning he'll likely return to action this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.

Jayron Kearse (knee) is expected to be a full participant in #Cowboys practice on Wednesday.

Looks to be on track or a likely return against the Rams.

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 5, 2022

It’s worth noting that Jayron Kearse is walking around after today’s practice without anything on his knee whatsoever— not even a compression sleeve — with a bounce in his step.

Ideal.

On track for Week 5 return. #Cowboys

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) October 5, 2022

Kearse did it all for the Cowboys' defense in 2021. He gave excellent support against the run, showed the ability to cover receivers in the slot and tight ends, and even did a good job applying pressure on the quarterback as a blitzer off the edge. Eventually, Kearse earned the trust of Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to the point that he was given the green dot to make the defensive play calls, taking over for Micah Parsons.

Kearse would go on to set career highs in tackles (101, lead the Cowboys), pass defended (10), and interceptions (2).

During his time with the Cowboys, Kearse has become one of the leaders not just on defense but on the entire team and is always straightforward with his point of view. That was on full on Wednesday when Kearse was asked where the Cowboys safeties rank as a group among the NFL's best.

“No. 1. Hands down," said Kearse. "If you just go down our safety room, you can’t go to another safety room and match us player for player. You can’t.”

The Cowboys' defense has held down the fort while Kearse has been gone, only yielding 43 points in the three games he's missed. Now, with his prowess in several areas, Kearse returning to the field takes the Cowboys' defense to another level.

Feature image via Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports