Tag: Jaylon Smith

Packers make Jaylon Smith signing official, place Chauncey Rivers on IR

The Packers announced two expected roster moves on Thursday.

The Green Bay Packers announced two expected roster moves on Thursday.

The team made official the signing of linebacker Jaylon Smith and also placed outside linebacker Chauncey Rivers on injured reserve.

Smith signed a one-year deal to join the Packers after being released by the Dallas Cowboys. He will wear No. 9. A second-round pick in 2016 who missed his entire rookie season while recovering from a significant knee injury, Smith has since played in all 68 games over the last five seasons. He was a Pro Bowler in 2018 and 2019.

Rivers, a backup edge rusher, tore his ACL during Wednesday’s practice and will miss the rest of the 2021 season. He played 54 snaps on defense for the Packers during the first four weeks of the season.

To accommodate Smith’s taking No. 9, practice squad kicker JJ Molson switched to No. 11.

The Packers roster is currently at 52 players, with defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster still on the COVID-19 reserve list.

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Packers get LB Jaylon Smith for league-minimum salary in 2021

Jaylon Smith’s one-year contract with the Packers will be worth $770,000, the league minimum over the final 13 games for a player with his experience.

The Green Bay Packers won’t even pay three-quarters of a million dollars for new linebacker Jaylon Smith in 2021.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Smith’s one-year deal with the Packers is worth just $770,000, or the league minimum over the final 13 games for a player with at least four accrued seasons.

Smith didn’t need a big paycheck from the Packers because he’s already getting $7.2 million in guaranteed money from the Dallas Cowboys, who released him on Wednesday. Overall, Smith made over $31 million from the Cowboys over the last five years.

The presence of coach Matt LaFleur in Green Bay lured Smith to the Packers. According to Rapoport, the relationship between LaFleur and Smith – first forged at Notre Dame – put the Packers at the very top of Smith’s wishlist after he became a free agent.

For the Packers, signing Smith will be a risk-free addition. The team will pay next to nothing to see if Smith can be a contributor at a need position. A one-time Pro Bowler who has produced 100 or more tackles in each of the last three seasons, Smith now gets a chance to work alongside De’Vondre Campbell in Joe Barry’s defense.

Sometimes, a veteran player needs a change of scenery. Campbell is a great example. The Packers are hoping Smith can be the same type of bargain that Campbell has been through the first four games of 2021.

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Should the Packers have signed LB Jaylon Smith?

The Packers are expected to sign Jaylon Smith. Is this a good move for Matt LaFleur’s team? Let us know!

The Green Bay Packers missed out on acquiring cornerback Stephon Gilmore, but the team has made a pair of additions, including the expected signing of linebacker Jaylon Smith.

While a one-time Pro Bowler who has 100 or more tackles in three straight seasons, Smith was unceremoniously released by the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, making him a free agent. And now he’s getting a second chance in Green Bay.

Smith is a great story, but it’s worth noting that the Cowboys willingly took on over $7 million in dead cap space to move on.

The Packers have long needed help at inside linebacker, but is Smith the right fit? Will this be a good move for Matt LaFleur’s team? Can Smith and De’Vondre Campbell be a strong duo in the middle of the Packers defense?

Sign up and tell us what you think in our new comment section below:

What are the Packers getting in CB Rasul Douglas and LB Jaylon Smith?

The Packers added veterans Rasul Douglas and Jaylon Smith this week. What will the experienced cornerback and linebacker bring to Green Bay?

The Green Bay Packers have added two veteran players to Joe Barry’s defense this week.

The team signed cornerback Rasul Douglas off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad on Wednesday and signed linebacker Jaylon Smith on Thursday after he was released by the Dallas Cowboys.

What are the Packers getting in the two players? Here’s what we found after digging into the tape on both Douglas and Smith:

Packers sign LB Jaylon Smith to one-year deal

The Packers and former Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith agreed to a one-year deal.

The Green Bay Packers agreed to a one-year deal with linebacker Jaylon Smith, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Smith, who has three straight seasons with at least 100 tackles, was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. He’ll add depth at linebacker and a potential starter alongside De’Vondre Campbell in the middle of the Packers defense.

Smith played 156 snaps during the Cowboys’ first four games but was steadily losing playing time. He was on the field for just 28 snaps during last week’s win over the Carolina Panthers.

Between 2018 and 2020, Smith delivered 417 tackles, two interceptions, 18 pass breakups, four forced fumbles and 8.0 sacks while playing in all 48 games.

Smith has been available in all 68 games over the last five seasons, playing almost 3,800 total snaps on defense.

Smith was a top prospect in the 2016 draft but a significant knee injury dropped him to the second round. He missed his rookie season but returned in 2017 to become a productive linebacker for the Cowboys.

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Jaylon Smith appears headed to Green Bay

Is this a good landing spot for Smith to succeed?

Former Notre Dame star linebacker Jaylon Smith was released by the Cowboys on Tuesday and on Wednesday plenty of speculation was had as to where his next NFL landing spot would be.  It appears Smith has found a new home that will be made official on Thursday.

RELATED: COWBOYS RELEASE FORMER NOTRE DAME GREAT

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Smith is headed north to join the Green Bay Packers.  Rapoport revealed that information on Twitter late Wednesday afternoon.

The Packers are currently 3-1 and sit atop the NFC North standings.

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Green Bay Packers close in on signing Dallas Cowboys castoff LB Jaylon Smith

Linebacker Jaylon Smith seems ticketed for the Green Bay Packers after being cut by the Dallas Cowboys

First, Stephon Gilmore was on and off the market in a blink. Hours later, it appears linebacker Jaylon Smith will also no longer be looking for a suitor.

The linebacker who was cut by the Dallas Cowboys is nearing a deal with the Green Bay Packers, Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday.

Smith was released by the Cowboys earlier this week as his production had fallen off for Dallas.

Per ESPN: 

The Cowboys’ decision to release Smith can be viewed as a surprise because of what he was — a 100-plus-tackle-a-year linebacker with a Pro Bowl on his rĂ©sumé and a contract that averaged $11.4 million a year — not what he is now, which is a backup linebacker who doesn’t run as well as he used to and struggles in coverage.

After he sat out his rookie season, he played in 68 straight games. He put in the work that made him a Pro Bowl pick in 2019. The Cowboys signed him to a massive contract extension before that season, guaranteeing him $35.5 million.

Green Bay was expected to be in on the bidding for Gilmore, who went from New England to Carolina for a sixth-round pick in 2023. The Packers are hurting at DB after the shoulder injury to Jaire Alexander in Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Linebacker has also been a troubled spot for the NFC North champs.

Smith would not face his former team should the deal with Green Bay go through … unless the Packers and Cowboys meet in the postseason.

Packers finalizing deal for free agent LB Jaylon Smith

The Packers are closing in on signing former Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith.

The Green Bay Packers are on the verge of signing former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers are the “likely landing spot” for Smith, and the two sides are finalizing details on a contract.

Smith, a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2016, played almost 3,800 snaps over 68 career games (56 starts) in Dallas. He was officially released by the Cowboys on Wednesday.

According to Rapoport, the deal won’t be finalized until Thursday morning, but Smith wants to play in Green Bay and the deal will get done.

Adding Smith will provide depth for the Packers at linebacker, where De’Vondre Campbell and Krys Barnes have been the two starters to start this season. Smith could compete with Barnes to play next to Campbell, who has been an early-season standout for the Packers. And Joe Barry’s defense could use an upgrade behind them both, especially if he wants to get more inside linebackers on the field at times.

Smith played 148 snaps for the Cowboys over the first four games of 2021.

Smith starred at Notre Dame, where Matt LaFleur worked for a year on the college’s staff.

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Report: NFC contender ‘making a push’ to sign Cowboys ex-LB Jaylon Smith

The Green Bay Packers are one of “multiple teams” reportedly in the mix to obtain the linebacker released this week by Dallas. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Jaylon Smith may not be on the unemployment line for long.

After being released by the Cowboys on Tuesday night, the 2016 second-round draft pick is drawing interest from several teams around the league. According to one NFL insider, the linebacker’s next gig may take him back to his native Midwest.

The Green Bay Packers  are reportedly “making a push” to obtain Smith’s services, as per Ian Rapoport. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach at Notre Dame in 2014, so he got an up-close look at Smith as a college sophomore terrorizing his passers every day in practice.

Earlier Wednesday, Rapoport mentioned Washington, Cleveland, and Las Vegas as other clubs that may have a need at the position. He revealed that “multiple teams are still in the mix” to land Smith.

The Packers are currently allowing 102 rushing yards per game and giving up an average of 25 points per contest. They’re a bit thin at the linebacker spot these days, with Za’Darius Smith out indefinitely after recent back surgery and Preston Smith leaving their Week 4 game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury.

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Packers interested in former Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith

The Packers are among several teams interested in former Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith.

The Green Bay Packers missed out on the Stephon Gilmore sweepstakes, but they are still in the mix for another high-value target. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Packers are interested in signing former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.

As Rapoport noted, Matt LaFleur spent time with Smith at the University of Notre Dame. LaFleur was the quarterbacks’ coach in 2014 when Smith was a junior. Perhaps, that familiarity will entice Smith to come to Green Bay.

Dallas released Smith on Tuesday after the 26-year-old linebacker went through a rough start to his 2021 season. The Cowboys have other options at linebacker, including Leighton Vander Esch and rookies Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox.

Meanwhile, the Packers have seen improvement in their linebacker play thanks to free-agent acquisition De’Vondre Campbell. Campbell is currently the sixth-highest rated linebacker, according to Pro Football Focus. Smith is 23rd.

Smith would come in and contribute right away to Green Bay’s defense. He has yet to miss a game in his career and was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2019. During his career, Smith has totaled 516 tackles, 9.0 sacks, six forced fumbles, and two interceptions.

That kind of playmaking would certainly be welcomed on a team that has struggled to find consistency at the linebacker spot.