Latest news with #JaylonSmith
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jaylon Smith Seeking a Career Revival with Las Vegas Raiders
Jaylon Smith Seeking a Career Revival with Las Vegas Raiders originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith has reportedly been turning heads during OTAs with the Las Vegas Raiders. Advertisement After not playing at all last season, Smith is aiming to secure a spot on the 53-man roster in his second stint with the Raiders. Smith signed with Las Vegas following a tryout during rookie minicamp and hasn't looked back. The 29-year-old Indiana native is approaching this opportunity with Las Vegas like his career depends on it. Smith recorded the first interception of Raiders OTAs, per team reporter Levi Edwards. Linebacker is a position of need for the Raiders after they did not re-sign breakout star Robert Spillane, who signed with the Patriots as a free agent. Smith is competing for a role in an inside linebacker group that has more questions than answers. Advertisement Newly signed linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White are the projected starters. The rest of the linebacker room features unproven players, including Cody Lindenberg, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While it has been three years since Smith last played more than 10 games in a season, he had a productive year with the Giants in 2022. Across 11 games during the 2022 season, he compiled 88 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 31 defensive stops, per PFF. With the Cowboys, Smith proved to be a productive player early in his career - his battle to overcome an horrific knee injury at Notre Dame is legendary - and made the Pro Bowl in 2019. However, after signing a five-year, $63.75 million extension with Dallas in 2019, Smith's production began to steadily decline—leading to his release during the 2021 season. Hopefully Smith will find his footing with the Raiders and resurrect his career. Advertisement Related: Murray Jr. Promises One Key Improvement for the Cowboys Defense Related: New Cowboys QB Reveals Four 'Blessings' Of Surprise Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Raiders' flier on free agent Jaylon Smith is a sign of an unsettled linebacker corps
HENDERSON, Nev. — It made sense that the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 draft picks practicing for the first time received most of the attention at rookie minicamp last week, but coach Pete Carroll was also considering making changes to the roster. The Raiders had over 70 players participate in the three-day camp, including undrafted rookies and veterans vying for roster spots. Advertisement On Monday, after the front office had time to deliberate, the Raiders made a series of transactions. They let go of receivers Tyreik McAllister and Kristian Wilkerson, offensive tackle Dominic Boyd, defensive tackle Matthew Butler and linebackers Brandon Smith and Amari Burney. Those moves made room to sign receivers Ketron Jackson Jr. and Key'Shawn Smith, defensive end Jahfari Harvey, linebackers Jaylon Smith and Wesley Steiner and safety Jonathan Sutherland. Of the newcomers, Jaylon Smith stood out the most. The soon-to-be 30-year-old was once a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker, but he spent 2024 out of football. Ironically, his last game action came when he played one game for the Raiders in 2023. Smith has familiarity with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's system. Besides his brief stint in 2023, he started 11 games for the New York Giants when Graham was their DC back in 2022. That was the last time he played multiple games in a season. It's hard to know what to make of Smith at this point in his career. The last time he played significant snaps, he was inconsistent both as a run defender and in pass coverage. The fact that the Raiders are still taking a flier on him speaks to the precarious situation in their linebacker corps. After losing starters Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo in free agency, they signed Elandon Roberts and Devin White, who would likely be the starters if the season began today. 'Devin, obviously, I have a ton of familiarity from my time in Tampa with him,' general manager John Spytek said in March. 'I still maintain that, other than Von Miller in the Super Bowl run in 2015, what Devin did in the 2020 playoffs is the best I've ever seen a defensive player play. It was incredible.' Roberts has been a solid starting mike linebacker for years now. Defensive line coach Rob Leonard overlapped with Roberts in Miami for two seasons when he was an assistant on the Dolphins staff. Assistant defensive line coach Kenyon Jackson also coached him with the Dolphins in 2021, and defensive assistant/linebackers coach Ty McKenzie worked with him on the Dolphins in 2022, so there's plenty of familiarity with the coaching staff. Advertisement 'Knowing some people in the building brings a certain level of calmness,' Roberts said in March. A major blemish in Roberts' game has been pass coverage. That's largely why he's never played more than 59 percent of his team's defensive snaps in a single season. To be a difference maker, he'll need to shore up that area of his game. 'Being physical and being that type of player, you have to take into account that teams know that,' Roberts said. 'When you're a downhill guy, they might do a lot of play action, a lot of bootlegs, they'll try to slow you down by doing draw plays and stuff like that. So, you've just got to be cognizant of that.' White hardly played last season and hasn't been an effective starter since 2022. Not only has he struggled in pass coverage, but he has also fallen off as a run defender and pass rusher. 'I know what he's capable of,' Spytek said. 'He's had a little bit of a rough spot in his career here, but he's 27 and he's a good dude. It's good to give him a chance to maybe revitalize himself a bit. … We see Elandon as the mike (linebacker) and Devin as the will. They're two guys that can run and hit you and love to play.' Despite Spytek's encouraging words, linebacker stood out as a major need for the Raiders entering the draft. Despite that, they passed on addressing the position until they took Cody Lindenberg of Minnesota in the seventh round. 'I'm athletic and intelligent. I think I can do everything on the football field that linebackers are required to do and more,' Lindenberg said last month. 'Knowing my keys (and) taking the first step in the right direction before anybody else does on the football field. So then once I get in that right spot, I'll be able to make the play with my hard work and God-given abilities.' Learn more about one of the leaders and driving forces behind Minnesota's defense: Cody Lindenberg.#RaiderNationhttps:// — Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) April 27, 2025 Lindenberg has good size at 6-foot-2, 236 pounds, and was a three-year starter at mike linebacker in college. He has the speed and athleticism to hang at will linebacker, which is where he has a clearer path to carving out a role. 'I think he's a great fit,' Raiders director of college scouting Brandon Yeargan said last month. 'He's a high-character, high-intangible guy. He's tough, he's competitive. I think he's got really good value in the kicking game, too, so I think he's going to be a good addition to that room.' Advertisement Lindenberg is part of a group of wildly inexperienced linebackers on the roster. Tommy Eichenberg and Amari Gainer are second-year players who made the 53-man roster last season but barely played. Then there are three UDFAs in Matt Jones, Jailin Walker and Steiner. In an ideal world, one of those young linebackers would grow into a starting-caliber player. If that doesn't happen, however, then the Raiders will need a career resurgence from Smith and/or White. The Raiders entered the offseason with more holes than they could realistically fill with outside additions. Essentially, they're betting on the developmental skills of Carroll and the coaching staff to bridge the gaps. 'This is not a different process than the last couple times I had a shot at it,' Carroll said in February. 'We've got a lot of philosophy and approach that is unique to the way we do things. That takes some time to get that going. The urgency is there. It's so obvious. But yet, there's so much teaching and learning that's going on that's really exciting to me. So we'll see how it goes.'
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
NFL player handed career lifeline by Tom Brady after last playing in 2023
Veteran NFL linebacker Jaylon Smith has been given a chance by Tom Brady and the Las Vegas Raiders, according to a new report. Smith, 29, is a one-time Pro Bowler and last appeared in the 2023 NFL season. But he's now getting an opportunity to revive his football career, with the Raiders signing him following a weekend tryout, according to ESPN. Smith is best known for his time with the Cowboys, who took him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. There, he spent five seasons and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2019 as he racked up 142 tackles (six for loss), two forced fumbles and 2.5 sacks. He later spent time with the Packers and Giants before suiting up just once for the Raiders in 2023. Notably, the former Notre Dame star will reunite with Raiders' defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who served in the same role while Smith was with the Giants. Tom Brady is a minority owner of the team and has reportedly played a large role in decisions The Raiders finished just 4-13 last season, and have reportedly been leaning on the expertise of Brady, who officially joined as a minority owner in October. The Athletic described him as being 'heavily involved' in the team's decision-making. And Las Vegas has made some big swings this offseason, trading for quarterback Geno Smith and adding former Seahawks Super Bowl winner Pete Carroll as head coach. The Raiders also retained defensive end Maxx Crosby on a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension. Brady will be somewhat familiar with Smith's game, having faced him twice in his career: once while on the Patriots, and once on the Buccaneers. In the first meeting, in 2019, Smith racked up eight total tackles, while he finished with four the next time. The Raiders finished tied for 25th in scoring defense last year, as they allowed 25.5 points per game.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Notre Dame star gets another shot at the NFL
It seemed like former Notre Dame star linebacker Jaylon Smith's NFL career was over, after sitting out this past season with his last season in 2023 spanning just one game. A second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL draft, Smith had major injury concerns after tearing ligaments in his final collegiate game with the Irish. While he still had another season on eligibility, the NFL was too tempting to pass up. Advertisement The long recovery paid big dividends for the Cowboys, as Smith had three seasons in-a-row where he tallied over 120-tackles. After parting ways with Dallas in 2021, he'd play for Green Bay and the New York Giants in that same season. He'd play again for the Giants in 2022, then with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, for the lone game. Vegas still was interested in Smith, and had him participating in their recent mini-camp. After a solid showing, they signed him to a deal according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The hope is that Smith can stay healthy enough to contribute this coming fall, as many of us Irish fans would love to see him resurrect his career. This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Former Notre Dame star LB Jaylon Smith gets another chance in the NFL
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Notre Dame star gets another shot at the NFL
Former Notre Dame star gets another shot at the NFL It seemed like former Notre Dame star linebacker Jaylon Smith's NFL career was over, after sitting out this past season with his last season in 2023 spanning just one game. A second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL draft, Smith had major injury concerns after tearing ligaments in his final collegiate game with the Irish. While he still had another season on eligibility, the NFL was too tempting to pass up. The long recovery paid big dividends for the Cowboys, as Smith had three seasons in-a-row where he tallied over 120-tackles. After parting ways with Dallas in 2021, he'd play for Green Bay and the New York Giants in that same season. He'd play again for the Giants in 2022, then with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, for the lone game. Vegas still was interested in Smith, and had him participating in their recent mini-camp. After a solid showing, they signed him to a deal according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The hope is that Smith can stay healthy enough to contribute this coming fall, as many of us Irish fans would love to see him resurrect his career.
