Report: Saints Signing LB Jaylon Smith

The Saints add valuable linebacker depth with Pro Bowl experience, per reports.

NFL Insider Jordan Schultz is reporting that the New Orleans Saints will sign LB Jaylon Smith on Thursday. Schultz was also the first to report that the Saints had brought in the former Pro Bowl linebacker for a free-agent visit earlier in the day.

To make room for Smith on the 90-man roster, the Saints released WR Keke Coutee. New Orleans coach Dennis Allen announced the move after practice on Friday.

Smith, 28, was a second-round choice of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. He played five years for the Cowboys, intercepting two passes and breaking up six others while recording nine sacks, 15 QB hits, 20 tackles for loss, and forcing or recovering 11 fumbles. His best season was in 2019, when 142 tackles (6 for loss), 2.5 sacks, and an interception to go along with nine passes broken up earned him a Pro Bowl bid. 

Early in 2021, the Cowboys released Smith. He played briefly for the Green Bay Packers before finishing that year with the New York Giants.

In 13 games with the Giants in 2022, Smith finished second on the team in tackles (88, three for loss), while recovering a fumble and recording one sack and four pressures. He also worked out with the Raiders last week. 

Jaylon Smith won the Butkus Award as a junior at Notre Dame in 2015 as the nation's top linebacker. He'd tear his ACL and LCL during the Fiesta Bowl that season. The injury forced him to miss all of his rookie season in 2016.

Despite the knee injury to start his NFL career, Smith continues to be a good athlete in the open field. At 6'2" and 245-Lbs., he's also a solid run defender with good power at the line of scrimmage. 

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) is tackled by New York Giants linebacker Jaylon Smith (54). Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints had an alarming lack of depth at linebacker. Demario Davis and Pete Werner are one of the NFL's better tandems, but the team was thin after the offseason free-agent departure of Kaden Elliss. 

Andrew Dowell had started training camp strong, but was lost for the year with a knee injury last week. D'Marco Jackson, a 2022 fifth-round choice, has also had a good camp but has no NFL experience after missing all of his rookie year. Zack Baun has not been a good fit for the defense, and the depth chart was rounded out by undrafted players Anfernee Orji, Nick Anderson, and Nephi Sewell. 

New Orleans opens their preseason at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. It is unclear whether Jaylon Smith will suit up for that contest.