Getty Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith
Another week, another speculative trade involving Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.
Bleacher Report’s Chris Roling actually unveiled two potential offers, identifying the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams as ideal suitors for Smith. Roling proposed each team surrender a 2022 second-round draft pick to consummate the deal.
“Owners of the league’s most extensive rebuild, the Houston Texans need to work the phones more than any other team in the hunt for talent,” he wrote. “Given the understood desperation of Houston’s predicament, the Texans will probably have to end up overpaying for anything they do. That could be mitigated a bit by going to a team like Dallas and offering to inhale a whale of a contract. … Granted, Smith was a dud in Dallas’ new system last year to the tune of a 54.2 Pro Football Focus grade, but if Houston believes he’ll get back to form in its defense, the asset sacrifice and contract acquired will be worth the risk.”
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Impetus for Would-Be Rams Trade
To justify the Rams’ interest in Smith, Roling used a similar approach as with the Texans, pointing to a necessary talent infusion in the front seven ahead of the 2021 NFL season.
“If the Rams wanted to upgrade the linebacker spot behind the Aaron Donald-led defensive line, for example, they could be another team that hits up Dallas about Jaylon Smith,” he wrote.
“Down season or not in a new scheme last year, Smith still has some huge upside and would be an upgrade on guys like Micah Kiser, who had a 40.0 PFF grade last season. In fact, it would be pretty fun to see him spread his wings behind a player like Donald in what would be suddenly improved surroundings, provided the Rams are comfortable coughing up a big asset to make the trade happen.”
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Smith to The … Other L.A. Franchise?
As mentioned, the highly-paid, underperforming defender has been the subject of persistent trade speculation, which reached a fever pitch in April after Dallas used first- and fourth-round selections on LBs Micah Parsons and Jabril Cox.
Earlier this month, Pro Football Focus analyst Brad Spielberger unleashed a “hypothetical” swap where the Los Angeles Chargers acquire Smith for a 2022 fifth-round choice.
“New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has already made it clear that he plans to use his former Falcons S Keanu Neal in a Will linebacker role,” Spielberger wrote. “Smith was reportedly transitioning into more of a WLB role ahead of the 2020 season with Vander Esch taking over more responsibility at MLB, but then he got hurt. So, in summation, Parsons is an even better blitzer than Smith, and now there are possibly two better coverage options for nickel packages in Neal and Cox. All of this begs the question of whether Jaylon Smith may be available, even after he dropped the dough to switch his jersey to No. 9.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL