Defensive lineman Malik McDowell, a second-round pick in 2017 who has never played in the NFL because of off-field injuries, has been cleared to play, his agent Drew Rosenhaus said Monday.
McDowell suffered reported extensive head and eye injuries in July 2017 in an ATV accident. He was waived with a non-football injury designation by the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month, becoming a free agent.
“Unfortunately Malik got injured and it was a brain injury, a head injury,” Rosenhaus said in Phoenix at the NFL owners meetings, according to the Seattle Times.
“And the Seahawks, they did a wonderful job of exhaustively checking to see if they could get him cleared to play. Ultimately their doctors were not comfortable clearing him. He has since been cleared by independent doctors.”
McDowell visited last week with the Dallas Cowboys.
“So hopefully he will be able to continue his career, possibly with (Dallas),” Rosenhaus said.
Seattle traded down from the 26th pick in the 2017 draft to take McDowell at No. 35. McDowell last played in 2016 for Michigan State.