The Las Vegas Raiders have signed Jaylon Smith after the veteran linebacker attended their rookie minicamp. This will be the second stint for Smith in Las Vegas, his first one did not produce the results that the team was looking for. Now that the dust has settled after this years draft, the teams in the NFL are tightening up their squads with last minute signings and trades. The minicamp is an opportunity to prove their worth along side much younger players coming into the league for the first time.
How has Jaylon Smith ended up in Las Vegas for the second time?
Jaylon Smith showed huge potential after he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as the 34th overall pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent the first five years in Dallas and earned himself a Pro Bowl selection in 2019. After that is where things started to go slightly pear shaped for the linebacker. After being released by the Cowboys in 2021, his career was on a downward trajectory.
After being released by the Cowboys, he was snatched up by the Green Bay Packers. That would not prove to be the right move as he only played two games for the iconic green and gold team. After some time, he was given another opportunity by the New York Giants. His time in New York would prove his best season since leaving the Dallas Cowboys.
In his last season for the Giants, he managed 88 tackles in 13 games. In a game where the defense is as important as the offense, that was simply not good enough for the Giants. He was subsequently released and then played one game for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. That would be the last time he played in the NFL up until now. The Raiders have given him another chance to prove his worth.
Can the Las Vegas Raiders take full advantage of their new linebackers?
The Raiders have a long and very public history. They were originally bouncing between Los Angeles and Oakland for a few decades before the NFL approved the teams move to Las Vegas, Nevada. This was controversial to say the least as Las Vegas has long been without a major sport team, due to the high amount of gambling in the city and state.
In this years dramatic NFL Draft, the Raiders selected a vast range of players to tighten up their squad. Their seventh round pick Cody Lindenberg will have to prove his way into the squad as is the case with most rookies entering the league. The linebacker position will prove to be very competitive as newly signed linebackers Elandon Roberts and Devin White are the projected starters for the Raiders.
With the living legend Tom Brady leading the organization from behind the scenes, the NFL and its fans are excited to see what comes out of Las Vegas this season. The Raiders are one of the more well known teams in the NFL and have extremely loyal fans. Their reputation as troublemakers or rebels within the NFL is always going to be a strong selling point. Tom Brady has had a lasting impact on the NFL and its rookies it seems.
What will the new season bring for the teams in the NFL?
With every new season in the NFL comes changes. The teams that have made some significant signings this year will be looking to their rookies and new players to bring a new energy to the organizations. With the Raiders last Super Bowl win coming in 1984 against the Washington Commanders, the fans of the iconic team are due some success. In the early 90’s the Raiders became immensely popular thanks to the celebrity endorsements by people like the N.W.A who wore the jerseys anytime they could. The pressure is on for players like Jaylon Smith to perform early on in Las Vegas.
