Jaylon Smith signs a contract with the Raiders after leaving the Saints practice squad.
Jaylon Smith is going to the arid region.
The veteran linebacker from the New Orleans Saints practice team will be signed by the Las Vegas Raiders, his agency revealed on Thursday. This season, he hasn’t made an appearance in a single game.
Although Smith signed a contract with the Saints in August, head coach Dennis Allen informed reporters during the team’s opening preseason game that Smith’s inclusion on the squad was not certain.
“I believe that with him, where he fits into special teams will be a role in the equation. “It’s not a frequent activity he’s engaged in,” Allen stated at the time. “I think he’s going to embrace that challenge and hopefully he’ll perform well on teams.”
In the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Smith was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys from Notre Dame. In 2019, he inked a five-year, $64 million contract deal with the team.
After recording 2.5 sacks, one interception, nine pass breakups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 142 tackles, six tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits in 16 games, the 28-year-old went on to be selected for the Pro Bowl in 2019.
Smith played for the Cowboys for four games before being cut during the 2021 season. After that, he joined with the Green Bay Packers, although he only made two appearances before being released.
Smith spent the remainder of the 2021 season with the New York Giants practice squad before being added to the active roster. He returned to the Giants’ practice squad in 2022 and played in 13 games for the team, recording 88 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and two quarterback hits.
Smith now plays for a franchise in Las Vegas that, in addition to benching quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, has made significant changes in the previous week, including the dismissal of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler.
Smith is expected to play linebacker as a depth option alongside Amari Burney, Curtis Bolton, and Robert Spillane.
With a 3-5 record, the Raiders are third in the AFC West going into their game against the New York Giants on Sunday.
