The New Orleans Saints have signed linebacker Jaylon Smith who is a free agent according to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The NFC South team hosted the player for a workout on Thursday morning and apparently liked what they saw from the 6-year veteran.
Smith also had attended a workout with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this week.
The Saints found their linebacker
The Saints were forced to go looking for another backup linebacker for a second time after they couldn’t come to an agreement with Anthony Barr.
Barr visited the team earlier in the week but left the facilities without closing a deal with the team.
The 31-year-old veteran spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys after eight years being a part of the Minnesota Vikings, and despite having a good performance for the Saints, the parties couldn’t close out a deal.
It was then that Jaylon Smith came in and landed the job on Thursday. The team is expected to make the announcement official before their preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Earlier in the week the Saints also made waves by hosting running back Kareem Hunt. The player appeared to have a good workout, but no deal was announced. Hunt also had a visit with the Colts but also left the facilities in Indianapolis without a contract.
Jaylon Smith’s background
Smith was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame.
He spent a total of 5 seasons with the Boys’ and earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2019.
In total, the linebacker played 68 games in Dallas where he recorded 498 tackles, two interceptions, and six forced fumbles.
In 2019 he signed a 5-year contract extension with the Cowboys worth more than $64 million dollars.
Almost two full seasons after the deal the player and the team had a falling out that ended with the Cowboys transferring him to the Packers who released him after only two games.
It was then that he was picked up by the Giants, with whom he played 13 games last season before becoming a free agent.
