One of the league’s Super Bowl contenders is going after Jaylon Smith. While other suitors are believed to be in the mix, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes the Packers are making a push to sign the former Cowboys linebacker (Twitter link).
Matt LaFleur spent a season at Notre Dame during Smith’s tenure, his 2014 sophomore slate, and remains high on the accomplished defender. The Cowboys released Smith on Tuesday night. LaFleur coached the Fighting Irish’s QBs in 2014.
Green Bay has not been especially high on making splashy moves at its off-ball linebacker spots, but the team has turned to the midlevel free agent market multiple times in the past two years. The Packers signed Christian Kirksey in 2020 and, after releasing him this year, added De’Vondre Campbell.
Despite coming into the league in 2016, Smith is still just 26 and grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 13 off-ball linebacker through four games. It would certainly add up if multiple teams made strong efforts to sign him. Green Bay holds just more than $7MM in cap space, which ranks 12th in the NFL.
Campbell has proven effective for the Packers thus far, having made 40 tackles in four games and intercepting a pass. He grades as PFF’s No. 4 overall linebacker, though we are still without too large of a sample size. Green Bay also has second-year man Krys Barnes on its defensive second level. Barnes missed Week 4 with a concussion.
Smith spent the past four seasons as a Cowboys starter. Despite a severe foot injury sustained in his final Notre Dame game, the former second-round pick has not missed an NFL game since sitting out his rookie season. Smith produced three straight 120-plus-tackle seasons in Dallas, topping out at 154 in 2020. That total ranked second in the NFL. Dallas, however, hired a new defensive coordinator and changed up its linebacking personnel by drafting Micah Parsons in the first round and signing Keanu Neal. This led to Smith becoming a marquee in-season free agent.
Like Denver, Green Bay has refused to make necessary moves at the inside linebacker spot for the last few years. Signing Kirksey and Campbell might have given them starters the last couple of years, but neither were considered the athletic prospect that Smith was and were older vets. He’ll have to learn yet another scheme to play in Green Bay, but this could be a big upgrade for the middle of the Packers’ defense if it works out.
Campbell ironically may be a good resource here. He played for Quinn in Atlanta (not very well, he looks much better so far from what I’ve seen in Green Bay) for years, so that could help as a transition if he and Smith play together.
I agree with the overall point you made, but you referred to Campbell as an older vet when he isn’t even two full years older than Jaylon Smith. You also mentioned he played under Quinn for years, which is true, but he only spent 4 seasons as a Falcon and is only his 6th in the league.
I should have clarified; older vet in comparison to a draft pick or a first contract type guy, not exactly in comparison to Smith. Meaning, Green Bay hadn’t invested in young cornerstone type players at that position. They had devoted some low level picks there, but nothing significant matching the investment Dallas put into Smith, for instance. Four years in Atlanta is what I was referring to as having known Quinn’s style.
As someone who doesn’t watch a lot of cowboys football, does Smith still have it or has the injury slowed him significantly?
He’s still a solid linebacker. He takes strange angles to the ball carrier that often times sees him giving up more yardage than he should. Coverage has dropped but again! He will be a solid player for GB or whoever he goes to. They let him go over contract and Injury clauses more than his play. 100+ tackle LB is a good pick up.
He can still play. The injury really took his east-west movement so on 3rd downs wouldnt be ideal in today’s NFL as he will get exposed in coverage.
Would be surprised if the Giants and Eagles don’t pursue him hard. Not only do both teams need any help they can get at LB, getting a player with some inside info on a division rival is always a plus. Giants play the Cowboys Sunday, too.
Yeah because when you bring a guy in on Thursday for a game a few days later you spend every waking moment trying to get Cowboys secrets out of him and not try to use that time to bring him up to snuff on their own playbook. Also, the Gints are far from a few secrets from being equals with Dallas, when the seasons over they’ll probably be 5-8 wins behind in the standings.
Of course these cheapskates want him now lol
Were they supposed to get him when he was under contract with Dallas?
No but of course they want a free player. They never pay for them in free agency or trade