The Las Vegas Raiders are in need some reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball, especially at linebacker after losing leading tackler Robert Spillane and another starter in Divine Deablo. The team has signed Devin White, but they aren’t done making some additions to the linebacker corps.
According to Ryan McFadden of ESPN, the Raiders have signed veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith, who sat out all of 2024 after last playing with the Raiders back in 2023:
Jaylon Smith will attempt to resurrect his career in Las Vegas. The veteran linebacker has signed with the Raiders after a weekend tryout at rookie minicamp.
The team made Smith’s signing official Monday.
Smith, 29, last played in 2023, appearing in one game for the Raiders. He totaled two tackles in 25 defensive snaps in Las Vegas’ Week 9 victory over the New York Giants. He was later waived.
Once upon a time, linebacker Jaylon Smith was one of the best stories in the entire NFL. The former second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys recovered from a devastating leg injury to become a Pro Bowler in 2019 and has three straight seasons of at least 120 tackles.
After five seasons with the Cowboys, Smith bounced around to the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants before landing with the Raiders for that one game with the Raiders in 2023. Now he will look to get his NFL career back on track with the same team he last stepped on a field with, and the opportunity to make an impact is there for him with this squad.
Aside from White, the Raiders also added veteran Elandon Roberts in free agency. Those two are currently slated as the starting linebackers, but there is little depth behind them. So, if Smith can prove he can still make an impact, he could be on the field a lot for the silver and black.
Smith has appeared in 88 games in his seven-year NFL career, totaling 626 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 21 passes defensed, 11 sacks, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and two interceptions.
Former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr announces retirement from NFL
One of the greatest Raiders players of all time has retired from football, as quarterback Derek Carr, who spent his first nine seasons with the Raiders, announced his retirement.
Even though he never experienced much team success, Carr is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns and will go down as arguably the best quarterback in Raiders history.
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