The Green Bay Packers may have whiffed on Stephon Gilmore, but they have gotten themselves a pretty decent backup option. In an effort to help bolster their defensive lineup, the Packers signed linebacker Jaylon Smith last week. Smith joined the team about a week ago, and fans are ready to see what the Pro Bowler can bring to the table.
However, Packers coach Matt LaFleur wants to take things a little easy for a while. According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, LaFleur said this about Smith's timeline.
“We'll continue to talk about that. He was out there in the mix. We want to make sure he's comfortable and ready to go before we put him out there.
As for ILB Jaylon Smith, who arrived 8 days ago, and if he's ready to play, LaFleur said: "We'll continue to talk about that. He was out there in the mix. We want to make sure he's comfortable and ready to go before we put him out there.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) October 15, 2021
The Packers' secondary has been good but not great in the first weeks of the NFL. However, they were dealt a significant blow in Week 4 when star cornerback Jaire Alexander suffered a shoulder injury. Alexander is expected to return to the Packers, but they wanted someone who can hold down the fort while the CB is recuperating.
There's also no rush for the Packers to slot in the incoming Smith. After all, starting linebacker De'Vondre Campbell has been terrific for the team. Campbell, who the Packers signed in the offseason, contributed to their huge Week 5 win over the Bengals. It would be in the best interests of both Smith and the team to let him get to know the ins and outs of the defense first before deploying him in game day scenarios.
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