Tag: Jaylon Smith

Report: Saints signing LB Jaylon Smith to their practice squad

Report: Saints re-signing linebacker Jaylon Smith to their practice squad

TheScore’s Jordan Schultz reports that the New Orleans Saints are bringing back linebacker Jaylon Smith — on their practice squad. Smith impressed in two preseason games before being a surprise roster cut on Tuesday, and it was widely expected that he would sign with the 53-man roster after another player was sent to injured reserve (opening the possibility for them to return after healing up).

Either way, Smith is back in the building, and the Saints are better off for it. He brings a combination of NFL experience and playmaking ability that few players in the linebacker corps can match. He’s great depth to have behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner. Having a former Dallas Cowboys draft pick and New York Giants Pro Bowler like him waiting in the wings is a luxury few teams can afford. Hopefully it won’t take the Saints long to activate him on game days.

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Saints release LB Jaylon Smith, but fans shouldn’t say goodbye just yet

The Saints released veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith, but fans shouldn’t say goodbye just yet:

This won’t make many New Orleans Saints fans happy, but don’t go picking up the torches and pitchforks just yet. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reports that the Saints are releasing veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith, a late pickup in training camp who played really well for them in practice and at their preseason games.

But there’s a catch. Because Smith was been released, not waived, he won’t hit the waiver wire like many other players being let go at the roster cuts deadline. He’s free to choose his next team — or return to New Orleans. The Saints could have a handshake agreement in place to release him on Tuesday so they can place an injured player like Tre’Quan Smith, Landon Young, or Ryan Connelly on injured reserve on Wednesday, at which point they could re-sign Smith.

Maybe. They could also be looking to stash Smith on their practice squad at a significantly lower cost. It’s also possible he’ll choose to pursue other NFL opportunities at this point. We’ll just have to wait and see. But it feels like a safe bet that he’ll be on the roster when they kick off the season with the Tennessee Titans in a few weeks.

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Dennis Allen outlines Jaylon Smith’s path to winning a Saints roster spot

Dennis Allen was impressed by Jaylon Smith’s preseason debut, but he says the Saints linebacker needs to play special teams well to make the team:

Jaylon Smith made an immediate impact for the New Orleans Saints in their second preseason game, eagerly engaging blockers at the line of scrimmage to help defend against the run while proving a tough out in pass coverage while guarding the flats. It was enough to impress head coach Dennis Allen, but he hasn’t quite earned a spot behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner just yet. For now, Allen says, he’s still on the roster bubble.

“I thought it was a good first exposure out there in a game-like situation,” Allen said. “We’ll get another chance this weekend to continue the evaluation process. But I like what I’ve seen over the last week or so from the player. He’s smart, he’s tough, highly instinctive, there’s a lot of things to like.”

Smith appeared to be well on his way to leapfrogging Zack Baun as the team’s third linebacker — but he wouldn’t play many snaps even in that role high up the depth chart. With Allen’s preference for a four-man rush and nickel or dime personnel fielding extra defensive backs, the Saints rarely put three linebackers out on the field at a time.

So how can Smith help himself as he works to make the team? Allen volunteered one pathway to a roster spot: covering punts and kickoffs on special teams.

Allen continued, “I think with him, part of the equation is going to be where does he factor in on special teams? It’s not something he’s done a lot of. I think he’s going to embrace that challenge and hopefully he’ll perform well on teams.”

He’s right on that point — special teams have not been a big part of Smith’s resume in the NFL. He’s never played more than 88 snaps in a single season during the game’s third phase. Baun has been one of their top special teams players in recent years, so it may not be enough for Smith to perform at a high level defensively and make the team. Proving he can help in the kicking game would do a lot to ease Allen’s concerns. We’ll see if Smith has those chops in Sunday’s preseason finale with the Houston Texans.

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Saints stock watch: Who’s rising, who’s falling after Week 2 Chargers win

Jaylon Smith popped off the screen while Bryan Edwards had some costly penalties. 3 risers and 3 fallers from our Saints preseason stock watch | @southexclusives

The New Orleans Saints have one more week of preseason action remaining and are looking to end with a perfect 3-0 record. Before moving forward, let’s take a look back on Sunday’s game versus the Los Angeles Chargers. The Saints came out of the matchup victorious. Within the matchup, there were some standout players for good and bad reasons.

Let’s break down the players who rose their stock and the players who dropped their stock with their performance in Week 2 versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

Studs and Duds from New Orleans Saints’ 22-17 preseason win vs. Chargers

Studs and Duds from New Orleans Saints’ 22-17 preseason win vs. Chargers: Who rose to the occasion, who fell short?

That was almost too close for comfort. The Los Angeles Chargers’ reserves had the New Orleans Saints defense on the ropes, somehow converting a massive fourth down with 23 yards to go, only to end the game with an interception off of backup quarterback Easton Stick. Saints defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. jumped the route on another fourth down later in the series, picking off Stick’s pass to seal the win.

So who rose to the occasion? Who fell short of expectations? Let’s break it down in our preseason Week 2 Studs and Duds:

Instant takeaways from the Saints-Chargers preseason game

Payton Turner continues his strong preseason with a forced fumble. Forcing turnovers was a trend and 1 of the biggest takeaways from Week 2 | @southexclusives

The New Orleans Saints came out of their preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers with another victory. Their record now stands at 2-0 in the preseason. The game came down to the wire yet again with the defense making the play to win the game, as was the case a week ago.

As we know, the record not the most important part of the preseason. These exhibition games are more about evaluating performances. That’s exactly what we’re here to do. The defense had a strong game limiting touchdowns and the offense hit their stride in the second and third quarter.

Here are the biggest Saints takeaways from the game:

 

4 Saints players with the most to gain in preseason Week 2

Jaylon Smith and A.T. Perry are both high on our list of Saints players with the most to gain in preseason Week 2 | @southexclusives

After two days of joint practices and multiple meetings on if the game would even happen, the Saints and Chargers face off in the second of three preseason games. It’s unclear if there will be many starters playing this week on offense or defense. This could be the last time you see them in the preseason if they do play.

There are still position battles ongoing and players fighting for a roster spot. Then, you have some players who genuinely just need reps. Here are players who could greatly benefit from playing against the Chargers Sunday.

Dennis Allen: Jaylon Smith not expected to play in first preseason game

Dennis Allen says Jaylon Smith is not expected to play in Sunday’s Saints preseason game with the Chiefs, having arrived in town so recently:

New Orleans Saints fans will get to see many of their team’s new additions in Sunday’s preseason opener with the Kansas City Chiefs, but one player not expected to hit the field at the Caesars Superdome is Jaylon Smith. The former Pro Bowl linebacker arrived in town so recently that the team doesn’t want to rush him into action before he’s had time to fully pick up the playbook and settle in with new teammates.

Still, he’ll be available to play should something severe happen. Saints head coach Dennis Allen laid out the vision for his role in Week 1’s exhibition game after Friday’s training camp practice session: “I wouldn’t expect for him to play. You know, he’s only been here 24 hours. We’ll have him ready in an emergency situation if we need him, but I don’t expect him to play Sunday.”

But it’ll take a lot to create the kind of emergency that would force Smith into action. Even if Demario Davis misses this game (a calf injury has sidelined him for a week), the Saints still have young linebackers like D’Marco Jackson, Nephi Sewell, Anfernee Orji, and Nick Andeson who need those reps to develop their game. Journeymen veterans like Ty Summers and Ryan Connelly are also in the mix. And of course there’s a full first quarter worth of snaps for Pete Werner and Zack Baun to work with. Smith’s time will come, but fans may need to be patient before he sees a heavy workload.

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Updated New Orleans Saints linebacker corps after signing Jaylon Smith

Updating the New Orleans Saints linebacker corps after adding Jaylon Smith: where the 2019 Pro Bowler fits in with Demario Davis, Pete Werner

The New Orleans Saints made a smart addition this week by signing Jaylon Smith, but where does the 2019 Pro Bowler fit into their linebacker corps? Odds are good that the Saints will continue to deploy two linebackers in their nickel and dime personnel packages, which has been the most-common look for them in recent years — meaning few snaps will be available for Smith behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner when everyone is healthy.

But there’s a path to success for him as the third linebacker on the depth chart. We’ve seen veterans make the most of those opportunities before, like Manti Te’o, Kiko Alonso, and Craig Robertson. So long as Smith is ready to play when the team calls his number, he should be a positive asset for them.

With that said, here’s what the linebacker corps looks like after adding Smith to the mix; players returning from last year’s 53-man roster are highlighted in bold text.

Important Saints position battles to watch in preseason Week 1

The preseason is where position battles are decided. Cornerback and left guard are just two of the intense battles to watch in Saints vs. Chiefs | @southexclusives

The preseason is best for getting young players experience and deciding position battles. These battles won’t be decided in the first week of action, but players can begin to separate themselves from the pack. The New Orleans Saints have a couple of intense position battles currently raging at training camp, which will come to a head Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Here are the areas you need to keep an eye on and the players you need to watch in each phase of the game: