HENDERSON, Nev. – The Las Vegas Raiders have signed LB Jaylon Smith to the active roster from the New Orleans Saints' practice squad, the club announced Thursday.
Smith was originally a second-round draft pick (34th overall) by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016 and has played in 87 regular-season games with 69 starts for the Cowboys, Packers and Giants. His career totals include 624 tackles (376 solo), 11.0 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, 21 passes defensed and two interceptions.
In 2022, Smith played in 13 games with 11 starts and finished second on the Giants with 88 tackles (46). The 6-foot-2, 243-pound linebacker registered three-straight seasons (2018-20) with at least 120 tackles, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2019 after recording 142 tackles (83), 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, nine passes defensed and one interception. He posted a career-high 154 tackles in 2020.
A native of Fort Wayne, Ind., Smith played three seasons at Notre Dame (2013-15) where he totaled 292 tackles (175), 4.5 sacks, one interception, 10 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. As a junior in 2015, was a consensus All-America and the Butkus Award winner as the best collegiate linebacker.
In a corresponding move, the Raiders have released CB David Long Jr.
