Jaylon Smith gone (signed by Raiders) (2 Viewers)

[limeyjohn]

TBH l am surprised it took this long for someone to snatch him up

 

[SonOfNOLA]

TBH l am surprised it took this long for someone to snatch him up

Raiders have 3 LBs injured. 2 of them are their starting MLB and WLB.

It was going to take a big injury hit to teams LBs for Smith to see a roster. He finally has his opportunity to show if he shouldn’t have still been on the PS this long.

 

[AARPSaint]

Considering how good he looked in preseason, this has to be the special teams business.

 

[BreesusSaves]

Raiders have 3 LBs injured. 2 of them are their starting MLB and WLB.

It was going to take a big injury hit to teams LBs for Smith to see a roster. He finally has his opportunity to show if he shouldn’t have still been on the PS this long.

The problem for Smith here is the Saints run a 4-2-5 base. Even when they face run heavy teams, they rarely come out of their 4-2-5. Do I agree with that philosophy? Not really, but it hasn't really cost the defense a win so hard to be critical of it.

Basically outside of an injury, Smith wasn't going to see the field because the other gameday active LBs all play Special Teams.

He will probably be a solid player for the Raiders. He was a great teammate here and it sucks he never really got to see the field because maybe he, Davis, and Werner on the field together wouldn't have let the Colts literally run over the Saints defense.

 

[breesgirl]

One thing I won’t give DA hell over is his instinct for defensive personnel. Not sure why so many stay in a constant state of angst over these practice squad players, when our starters are healthy and their backups are also already on the roster. If we needed Jaylon, that’d mean we were in trouble w/DD or Pete.

I don’t blame us for not moving him to the active roster, if he doesn’t play special teams and our main LB’s have been full go almost every game. He’s an insurance policy at best. Now Jaylon gets the chance to start elsewhere, and we’ve already signed his replacement. No need to freak out over this like SOME are doing.

 

[Alan12]

The fact that Littleton has already been called up to the active roster in his first game in a Saints uniform all but confirms that the reason Jaylon Smith wasn’t elevated was due to not being on special teams.

 

[ShortFuzed9]

can't blame him, NO had plenty of time to bring him up

Exactly

 

[RadsRock]

I'm not sure I buy into the special teams reasoning. I don't have an alternate explanation, but how hard could it be for an athletic LB to learn a role on special teams?

Especially one who might be missing out on roster activation because of it.

 

[WxM]

I'm not sure I buy into the special teams reasoning. I don't have an alternate explanation, but how hard could it be for an athletic LB to learn a role on special teams?

Especially one who might be missing out on roster activation because of it.

He's not the same guy who entered the league. It's not a matter of "learning." It's a matter of physical ability. At this stage of his career, at his size, he is an in-the-box, physical, run-stuffing linebacker only. Those sorts of players don't offer much value on special teams. He doesn't have the athleticism to do it.