Was Signing Jaylon Smith the Right Move for Green Bay?

Overtime Heroics Editorial

603 days ago

This past Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys made a surprising move by releasing veteran linebacker Jaylon Smith. The following day, the New England Patriots traded cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers. The Packers missed out on filling their weakness at the cornerback position after Jaire Alexander landed on the IR list after the Week four victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers were able to ink a deal with Smith but was that the right move?

History

Smith was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft out of Notre Dame. He was highly sought out as a first-round pick but most scouts shied away after a devastating knee injury in his final game. Smith would go on and have two great seasons right out the gate but after his second season, he couldn"t remain consistent game-play. Over his career, he has managed to get 516 total tackles, 377 solo, and 199 assisted tackles. He also has 9 sacks with 2 interceptions.

Why He Fits

The Packers has had many weakness at this point of the season like most teams this year, but inside linebacker isn"t one of them as of now. Green Bay was able to find a gem late in the offseason in the likes of De"Vondre Campbell. Campbell has been showing he is the man for the job since Week 1. So far through Week 5, Campbell leads the team in total tackles with an interception and a fumble recovery to add to his stat sheet. With that being said, will Smith be able to come in and spell out the current linebackers on the 53-man roster or will he live up to his current name as an underachiever with a high ceiling that has yet to be reached?

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