With a linebacking corps as thin as the Raiders, taking just one in the draft was not going to be enough. They were bound to add some depth and competition at the position. Today they did just that, signing former Cowboys and Giants linebacker Jaylon Smith.
Originally a second round pick by the Cowboys in the 2016 draft, Smith had a few very good seasons in Dallas, including a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2019.
We’re a long way from that now, of course, and Smith will turn 30 in June. His last full season in the NFL was spent in New York in 2022. The previous season with the Giants, his defensive coordinator was Raiders current DC Patrick Graham, who added him to his defense late in the season.
Graham brought Smith into the fold again with the Raiders. Smith was signed midway through the 2023 season and appeared in one game for Las Vegas. But that was his last time on an NFL field. He was out of football last season.
Smith joins fellow veteran linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White in battling for the starting job with the Raiders. Others in the mix include Amari Gainer, Amari Burney, Tommy Eichenbeg, Brandon Smith, and rookies Cody Lindenberg, Jailin Walker, and Matt Jones.