Nine years ago, the Cowboys pulled off one of the biggest surprises of the NFL draft when they picked Butkus Award-winning linebacker Jaylon Smith in the second round. Smith was talented, no doubt, but a devastating knee injury playing for Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl that year had torpedoed his draft stock, as he tore his ACL, LCL and peroneal nerve. That left him unable to lift his own leg, even by the time the draft came around nearly four months later.
Smith was projected to be a late-round pick, or possibly left to sign as a UDFA. But the Cowboys, as they so often do, took a gamble on him anyway, and did so in the second round. Smith cried when he got the news.
The Cowboys were vindicated on the pick when, after sitting out 2016, Smith came back and played all 16 games in 2017, and secured his spot as the team’s starter. But 2018, he was a Pro Bowler. Things fell apart in the following three years, though, as Smith struggled with consistency and a wrist injury, and the Cowboys finally released him. He bounced from the Packers to the Giants and Raiders, but was not the same player.
After unsuccessful practice-squad stints in 2023, Smith was released and was out of the NFL in 2024.
Cowboys Ex Seeking a Comeback
Ah, but now the former Cowboys star is on the comeback trail. Smith had a tryout once again with the Raiders, and though there is a new regime in place in Las Vegas, they liked what they saw enough to warrant bringing him in.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on Sunday, writing on Twitter/X: “After a weekend tryout, the Raiders are signing former Cowboys and Giants LB Jaylon Smith, per source. Smith now returns to the Raiders, where he played in 2023, his last NFL season.”
In all, Smith has 88 career games to his credit, and has started 69 of those. His last start came in 2022. Smith has 11.0 sacks, two interceptions, 21 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries on his ledger. The Raiders are looking to replace linebacker Robert Spillane, who signed with the Patriots in free agency.
