Linebacker Jaylon Smith’s days with the Dallas Cowboys are coming to a close.
Dallas is planning to release Smith, but the move will not become official until Wednesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported. There is still a chance Smith could be traded, but it is unlikely that will transpire, Garafolo added.
The team later announced its plans to release Smith.
ESPN first reported the news.
Once a perceived darling of the Dallas D who signed a five-year, $64 million extension ahead of the 2019 season, Smith has become the odd man out in the Cowboys’ linebacking corps, having started two of the team’s four games in 2021.
As the clock ticks down on Smith’s official release, Garafolo reports a trade is unlikely to come about due to the fifth-year player’s contract, with the balance of his $7.2 million base salary for this year and $9.2 million in injury guarantees next year serving as high-priced deterrents to potential suitors. The move to release Smith now is a bit confounding considering his guaranteed salary for this season, which could have been nullified with a release in March, per Over the Cap.
The why isn’t as confounding as the when, however.
NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports Smith, 26, did everything asked of him this season under the umbrella of new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but it simply wasn’t enough in comparison to the play of Keanu Neal, Leighton Vander Esch and rookie dynamo Micah Parsons. Though Parsons has seen a great deal more reps as a pass rusher, the return of an injured Demarcus Lawrence is likely to push Parsons back and Slater adds rookie Jabril Cox’s increased use was also likely a factor in the decision to part ways with Smith.
Slater added that there was no incident that led to Smith’s release, simply a move brought about by others on the roster outperforming him.
A 2016 second-round draft pick out of Notre Dame, Smith drew notice with an impressive 2018 season in which he posted 121 tackles, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and four passes defended. He appeared to be a versatile standout who would be a vital cog in Dallas’ defense for seasons to come. Smith garnered an 84.1 season grade from Pro Football Focus in 2018, but it proved to be an outlier.
His grade fell all the way to 54.2 in 2020 as his struggles, particularly in run defense, became apparent and a hindrance on a struggling Cowboys defense.
In four games this year, Smith has posted 18 tackles, no sacks or takeaways. He came off the bench in Sunday’s win over the Panthers and tallied one tackle in 33 snaps. Those are likely to be the final numbers of his days in Dallas.
OVERVIEW
OnMyWay Is The #1 Distracted Driving Mobile App In The Nation!
OnMyWay, based in Charleston, SC, The Only Mobile App That Pays its Users Not to Text and Drive.
The #1 cause of death among young adults ages 16-27 is Car Accidents, with the majority related to Distracted Driving.
OnMyWay’s mission is to reverse this epidemic through positive rewards. Users get paid for every mile they do not text and drive and can refer their friends to get compensated for them as well.
The money earned can then be used for Cash Cards, Gift Cards, Travel Deals and Much, Much More….
The company also makes it a point to let users know that OnMyWay does NOT sell users data and only tracks them for purposes of providing a better experience while using the app.
The OnMyWay app is free to download and is currently available on both the App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android @ OnMyWay; Drive Safe, Get Paid.
Download App Now – https://r.onmyway.com
Sponsors and advertisers can contact the company directly through their website @ www.onmyway.com