Jaylon Smith Reveals True Reason He Was Cut by Cowboys

Jaylon Smith, Jerry Jones

Getty Jaylon Smith, Jerry Jones

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy claimed multiple “factors” catalyzed the organization’s decision to serve Jaylon Smith his walking papers.

But the veteran linebacker can read between the lines, interpret the writing on the wall — whichever cliche applies — and brought to light publicly why he left Texas for Titletown.

“Nothing other than business,” Smith said Friday, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “It’s a business. It’s the National Football League. My first real experience with it. I’m just blessed and thankful to be able to play at the place I wanted to play, and that’s with the Green Bay Packers. It’s wonderful.”

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Drilling Down on Parting of Ways

From a business perspective, the Cowboys bit the bullet to avoid paying Smith’s 2022 salary ($9.2 million) which would have become guaranteed in the event of injury. This, after already guaranteeing, and thus remaining on the hook for, his $7.2 million salary this season.

But Smith — who signed a one-year, $770,000 contract with the Packers less than 24 hours after his Tuesday release — knows McCarthy also wants to get younger and more athletic at the LB position, leaning on Defensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Micah Parsons while ramping up fourth-round choice Jabril Cox.

McCarthy admitted as much.

“This is about progress and a little more clarity of defensive packages and personnel groups and how we want to play,” he said Wednesday, per the official team website.

Smith had been phased out of Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s plans, relegated to a situational role before the club lost starting ‘backer Keanu Neal to the COVID-19 list. Despite seeing increased snaps in recent weeks, it was a matter of when, not if, Smith would depart the only NFL home he’d known.

The interpretation? Smith, whose struggles are well documented, possessed less value than the likes of Parsons, Cox, and Neal. To which the former Pro Bowler vehemently disagrees.

“I believe every player has their doubters,” Smith said, per The Athletic. “But for me, everything I’ve done up to this point has been legit. I know what kind of player I am. Guys know what kind of player I am. Coaches know. I’m a team guy. I’m a guy that’s going to add value.”

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Dallas Who? Jaylon Fully Immersed in Packers

There doesn’t appear to be any hard feelings on Smith’s behalf. Perhaps because he leapt from one NFC contender to another, the latter actually willing to utilize his skill set. The 26-year-old won’t play for the Packers in Week 5, requiring additional time to learn the playbook, but he’s champing at the bit to take the field in his new colors.

“Extremely locked in on our unit, what we got going on — alignment, assignments, key and technique,” Smith said, via The Athletic. “That’s gonna be my focus, and getting a chance to bond with the guys as we search for another victory. … I’m a sponge, soaking everything in, so I’m gonna do what I need to do to make sure I’m ready.”


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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL