The Las Vegas Raiders have been busier than most NFL teams this week as they work through several changes within the franchise. Following the dismissal of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, the Raiders added a former Pro Bowl linebacker to the roster before a Week 9 game against the New York Giants.
The Raiders are poaching Jaylon Smith from the New Orleans Saints practice squad, his agent Doug Hendrickson said on Thursday. He'll be signed to the active roster and the Raiders will likely try to get him in the mix for Sunday's game.
Smith was one of the most consistent linebackers in the NFL in the early portion of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. He did not miss a game from 2017-2020 and started all 48 he played from 2018-2020. During that three-year run, Smith had 417 tackles, eight sacks, four forced fumbles and 17 tackles for loss.
After playing for three different teams in 2021, including the New York Giants, Smith stuck with New York in 2022. He played in 13 games, starting 11, and recorded 88 tackles with one sack.
Smith spent the bulk of the preseason with the Saints before getting released and re-signed to their practice squad. He did not dress for any games with New Orleans this season.
The Raiders saw an opportunity to pick up an impact player with plenty of starting experience in the middle of their defense and signed Jaylon Smith. He might not be able to put up Pro Bowl numbers anymore but he was a solid player for the Giants last season and could provide a little veteran boost to the Raiders defense under interim head coach Antonio Pierce.
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