Raiders sign Jaylon Smith off Saints' practice squad
New Raiders interim General Manager Champ Kelly has made his first personnel move.
The Raiders have signed linebacker Jaylon Smith off the Saints' practice squad, his agent announced.
The 28-year-old Smith was seen as a can't-miss prospect when he was at Notre Dame, but he blew out his knee in his final college game and fell to the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He played well at times for the Cowboys, earning a lucrative contract extension in 2019 and making the Pro Bowl that year.
But Smith has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness since then, playing in only 19 games in the last three seasons with the Packers, Giants and Saints.
Kelly and Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce will hope Smith can make an impact on their defense, for a team that's looking to make some major changes after firing its head coach and general manager halfway through the season.
