Latest news with #PatrickGraham
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
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LB Jaylon Smith to sign with Raiders after minicamp tryout
Jaylon Smith's NFL comeback will continue with Las Vegas. Smith is signing with the Raiders after the linebacker had a successful veteran tryout at the club's rookie minicamp this weekend, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Advertisement Smith, 29, last played one game with the Raiders in 2023, making this his second stint with the team. Aside from that experience a couple of years ago, Smith played under Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham with the Giants in 2021. A second-round pick in the 2016 draft, Smith has appeared in 88 career games with 69 starts for the Cowboys, Giants, Packers, and Raiders. He's tallied 11.0 sacks, two interceptions, 21 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why wealthy individuals prefer Hong Kong insurance policies for inheritances
Insurance policies were becoming a popular choice for wealthy individuals in Asia, including the Greater Bay Area, for estate planning to avoid family disputes and achieve stable growth, according to industry players. Canadian insurer Manulife, the largest pension provider in Hong Kong, has seen growing demand for insurance products for legacy and succession-planning purposes, according to Patrick Graham, the CEO for Hong Kong and Macau. Nearly 60 per cent of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan preferred insurance policies to transfer their wealth to future generations, according to a joint survey released by Manulife and Deloitte last week. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The study was based on interviews and surveys conducted in the second half of 2024 with 140 HNWIs, each with at least HK$7.8 million (US$1 million) worth of assets in those markets. Patrick Graham, CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, says Hong Kong is an ideal hub for wealthy individuals to buy policies to transfer their wealth to their families. Photo: May Tse alt=Patrick Graham, CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, says Hong Kong is an ideal hub for wealthy individuals to buy policies to transfer their wealth to their families. Photo: May Tse> "The primary motivation behind this trend is preventing inheritance disputes," Graham said. He said insurance policies, which allow the company to pay beneficiaries named by the policyholders, were an effective tool to ensure smooth wealth distribution. Graham gave the example of a Manulife client who has three grandchildren and owns a range of assets, including property, funds and stocks. "He was worried about possible disputes when distributing his assets among his grandchildren," he said. "We advised him to apply wealth equalisation using an insurance policy similar to the property's value. This allows for fair distribution of assets like property and liquid assets, thus reducing inheritance conflicts." Another Manulife client, according to Graham, was a senior executive with grown-up children living in Australia, the UK and Canada. "His wish is to travel with the whole family once a year after retirement to spend time together," Graham said. "As his inheritance planning goes beyond just saving for retirement, we advised him to use insurance as a stable wealth growth tool to cover annual travel expenses." Hong Kong was an ideal hub for wealthy individuals to buy policies to transfer their wealth, he said. "Hong Kong's distinct combination of a robust regulatory system, product innovation and global accessibility makes it a preferred destination for HNWIs worldwide seeking effective estate planning solutions," Graham said. "In addition to high demand from within the Greater Bay Area, we also see interest from Southeast Asian visitors who value Hong Kong's expertise in wealth-planning solutions, its strong legal system and the ability to access sophisticated insurance products." Daisy Tsang, CEO of HSBC Life Hong Kong, says life insurance products sold in the city contain have trust-like features, which can support estate planning. Photo: Handout alt=Daisy Tsang, CEO of HSBC Life Hong Kong, says life insurance products sold in the city contain have trust-like features, which can support estate planning. Photo: Handout> Daisy Tsang, CEO of HSBC Life Hong Kong, said the insurer's sales of legacy-planning products to Greater Bay Area customers had nearly doubled last year, compared with the pre-pandemic period in 2019. Besides mainland Chinese visitors, HSBC Life Hong Kong sells policies to customers from 54 markets. These overseas customers' policy purchases last year rose 50 per cent compared with 2023. "Hong Kong's strong regulatory and legal framework instils confidence in overseas customers, and the city remains a popular international wealth management centre," Tsang said. Additionally, Hong Kong life insurance products contain more trust-like features, which can support estate planning. "Most Hong Kong insurance products offer various death benefit settlement options, allowing flexibility in how the death benefits are paid, which could be a lump sum or in instalments, or a combination of both," Tsang said. Policyholders can choose to pass on wealth to their heir of choice or use a policy-split feature that facilitates effective distribution of their wealth to loved ones. FWD, the insurer owned by tycoon Richard Li Tzar-kai, said its HNWI customers were also buying policies in Hong Kong to pass on their wealth to the next generation. "Hong Kong has no estate duty, which is an advantage for Hong Kong insurance policies to be sold to wealthy customers as estate planning," said Kelvin Yu, FWD's chief product officer. The Hong Kong Insurance Authority will issue guidelines this quarter for insurance companies to introduce index-linked policies for HNWI customers to manage their wealth. After the guidelines are issued, Yu said FWD would like to be among the first batch of insurers to launch index-linked policies - a type of investment-linked policy that pays dividends to policyholders based on major stock market indices. "Index-linked policy has been a popular investment choice for high-net-worth customers in overseas markets," Yu said. "It would be positive to the local insurance industry to have such product offerings, which will strengthen Hong Kong as a wealth management centre." This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2025 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Sign in to access your portfolio
South China Morning Post
24-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why wealthy individuals prefer Hong Kong insurance policies for inheritances
Insurance policies were becoming a popular choice for wealthy individuals in Asia, including the Greater Bay Area, for estate planning to avoid family disputes and achieve stable growth, according to industry players. Advertisement Canadian insurer Manulife, the largest pension provider in Hong Kong, has seen growing demand for insurance products for legacy and succession-planning purposes, according to Patrick Graham, the CEO for Hong Kong and Macau. Nearly 60 per cent of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan preferred insurance policies to transfer their wealth to future generations, according to a joint survey released by Manulife and Deloitte last week. The study was based on interviews and surveys conducted in the second half of 2024 with 140 HNWIs, each with at least HK$7.8 million (US$1 million) worth of assets in those markets. Patrick Graham, CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, says Hong Kong is an ideal hub for wealthy individuals to buy policies to transfer their wealth to their families. Photo: May Tse 'The primary motivation behind this trend is preventing inheritance disputes,' Graham said.
