Raiders Add Former Pro Bowl Linebacker Jaylon Smith to Roster
The Las Vegas Raiders have officially signed former Pro Bowl linebacker Jaylon Smith, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 29-year-old, who was a second-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, joins the Raiders after a weekend tryout.
“After a weekend tryout, the Raiders are signing former Cowboys and Giants LB Jaylon Smith, per source,” Schefter reported. “Smith now returns to the Raiders, where he played in 2023, his last NFL season.”
Smith hasn’t played since November 5, 2023, when he appeared in a 30-6 victory over the New York Giants in what was Antonio Pierce’s debut as interim head coach for the Raiders. That game was his only appearance of the season. After sitting out the entire 2024 season, Smith is now aiming to earn a spot on the Raiders’ roster as the team seeks a new era of success under Pete Carroll.
Once a key starter for the Cowboys, Smith was named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and signed a lucrative extension that same year. He was part of a solid linebacker trio with Sean Lee and Leighton Vander Esch, helping the Cowboys make the playoffs in 2018. However, after struggling with performance issues, Smith was released after his sixth season in Dallas, as the team sought to avoid triggering an injury guarantee in his contract for the 2022 season.
Smith’s career has been marked by injury concerns, starting with a major knee injury in his junior year at Notre Dame. A torn ACL and LCL in the Fiesta Bowl dropped his draft stock, causing him to fall to the Cowboys in the second round. Despite missing his entire rookie season to rehab, he signed a four-year, $6.4 million contract with $4.4 million guaranteed, largely due to the Cowboys’ in-depth knowledge of his medical condition, as he was operated on by their team doctor.
His injury had a lasting impact on college football, helping to fuel the rise of bowl game opt-outs and contributing to the eventual expansion of the College Football Playoff.
After leaving the Cowboys following four games in 2021, Smith played for the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants, where he played 13 games in 2022. He contributed to the Giants’ playoff run, which included a victory over the Minnesota Vikings before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Smith’s older brother, Rod Smith, also had a five-year NFL career, spending three years with the Cowboys and a brief stint with the Raiders.
Now, Smith will be competing for a spot on the Raiders’ roster alongside other undrafted free agents and veterans all vying for another chance in the NFL.
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