Tag: Jaylen Smith

Cowboys’ Jaylon Smith reportedly paid a lot of money to switch to Tony Romo’s old jersey number

It was important to him.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith is joining the ever-growing list of NFL players who are switching numbers thanks to new league rules that allow certain positions to wear previously-forbidden numbers.

He’s going from 54 to No. 9, and while he spoke to Tony Romo about taking the former Cowboys digits, Smith didn’t pay a huge sum to the retired Romo to get the number.

Remember: if you change your number this season, you’re required to pay the NFL to buy out the inventory of your old jerseys. So, per ESPN, that came “at a mid-six figure cost, according to multiple sources.”

Here’s what was said about Romo:

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones gave Smith the blessing to make the change. A source said Smith reached out to Tony Romo, who wore the number from 2003 to 2016, about the switch as well.

“First and foremost, it’s a blessing and an honor to be able to carry on the 9 legacy,” Smith said “Tony Romo did an amazing job of just being elite and putting together great success for the Cowboys franchise. As you know, new players coming in, always getting an opportunity to sometimes carry on legacy. That’s the opportunity that the Jones family granted me with wearing No. 9, so it’s definitely a blessing.”

That’s quite a number switch and price! But you can see how meaningful it is.

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Seattle Seahawks place guard Ethan Pocic on injured reserve

Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Ethan Pocic (neck) has been placed back on the injured reserve, ending his season.

The Seattle Seahawks already thin depth on the offensive line got a little thinner on Tuesday, with the news that Ethan Pocic has been placed on the injured reserve.

The team promoted Kyle Fuller from the practice squad to take his place on the active roster.

Pocic had a promising preseason with Seattle, and looked ready to take on a valuable role as a versatile reserve lineman before a neck injury put him on the injured reserve after just two games.

Pocic eventually returned from IR and played in Week 15 and Week 16, before sitting out last week with the same neck injury, which eventually caused Seattle to put him back on injured reserve.

Fuller has played in 11 NFL games, including two starts with the Texans in 2017. He has been on Seattle’s practice squad all season. With experience at guard and center, Fuller is a nice replacement for Pocic, and will be used in a reserve role on Sunday against Philadelphia.

Smith is a big-bodied receiver who was on Baltimore’s practice squad earlier this year. The forme Louisville product is added depth following injuries to both Jaron Brown and Malik Turner that leave Seattle thin on receivers.

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The Seahawks could be in the market for more help at wide receiver

Following injuries to Jaron Brown and Malik Turner, the Seattle Seahawks could look to add more depth at wide receiver before Sunday.

The Seattle Seahawks, in a manner of weeks, went from having too many receivers on the 53-man roster to just four healthy ones heading into their playoff battle with the Eagles in Philadelphia.

The loss of Josh Gordon to suspension and Jaron Brown to a knee injury sapped them of two veterans, and Malik Turner’s concussion looks likely to keep him out for the second week in a row, at least according to Pete Carroll.

“He’s recovering from concussion syndrome stuff,” Carroll said on Monday. “He’s got to make it back. I can’t tell you that he’s fully back yet.”

For now, Seattle has Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, David Moore and John Ursua as the only four receivers on the active roster. Does that mean Seattle will pursue veterans on the free agent market, like they did when they brought back Robert Turbin and Marshawn Lynch last week?

“We’re talking about it,” Carroll quipped. “We’re talking about it.”

The Seahawks reportedly made one addition, signing big receiver Jaylen Smith to the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Smith was a teammate of Lamar Jackson’s at Louisville and again with the Ravens, but he has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Smith joins Penny Hart as receivers on Seattle’s practice squad, and either could be promoted to the active roster as the team’s No. 5 receiver if Seattle feels they are ready to contribute.

If Seattle chooses to look outside the organization, the most prominent free agent remains Antonio Brown. Brown recently worked out with the Saints, and Seattle is no stranger to bringing in players with questionable pasts (just look at Gordon and Mychal Kendricks) but Brown’s transgressions might too much for this team to take on – even if Russell Wilson did campaign for him earlier in the year.

That could leave Seattle perusing the XFL’s pool of talent, which could be a good match considering the bevy of former Seahawks who are currently planning to suit up for the new league in February.

Included on XFL rosters are former Seattle receivers Keenan Reynolds, Kasen Williams, Jazz Ferguson and Tanner McEvoy. Of the group, Reynolds and Ferguson both spent preseason with the Seahawks, and would be the most ready to come in and contribute right away thanks to their familiarity with the offense.

The XFL has been stringent on allowing players to break contract and re-join the NFL, but if Seattle is able to get Ferguson or Reynolds back it would give them added depth and someone who should be able to step onto the field and contribute on Sunday, if needed.

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