Analyzing Whether Broncos Should Target Free-Agent LB Jaylon Smith

With the loss of Josey Jewell, the Denver Broncos' linebacker corps took a huge hit. The Broncos were forced to turn to second-year linebacker Justin Strnad to start alongside Alexander Johnson, with rookie linebacker Baron Browning behind them.

After giving Jaylon Smith a five-year contract extension just in 2019 only to see him earn Pro Bowl honors that year, the Dallas Cowboys released him this week. It's been reported that Smith fell out of favor with the coaching staff which was enough of an issue for the Cowboys to willingly absorb the dead-cap hit they will for letting him go.

Thus, Smith hits the free-agent market at 26 years old after a somewhat promising start to his career. Denver recently decided to add veteran depth in the wake of Jewell's injury which saw the team sign Micah Kiser last week and Avery Williamson on Tuesday, but would another body make sense?

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In the Limelight

Smith's career has always been high-profile especially after suffering a severe knee injury at Notre Dame, tearing both his MCL and LCL ligaments in his final collegiate game. Instead of returning to the Fighting Irish, he decided to forgo his senior year and declared for the NFL draft while working back from that injury that put his career in doubt. Dallas selected Smith with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2016 draft.

Now available on the free-agent market, should the Broncos be in on Smith? The answer isn't a simple one because, for the right cost, he could be worth the risk.

Vulnerabilities Exposed

While the start to his career was promising, it didn't take long for Smith to display serious issues on tape. It's likely due to the effects of the knee injury he suffered in college, but he just isn't very quick on the field and often found himself picked on in coverage.

His play against the run was messy, with a few flashes now and then. All in all, he just didn't develop as the Cowboys hoped he would after paying him, and with changes to the coaching staff and scheme, Smith's weaknesses were more pronounced and he fell out of favor.

Bottom Line

If the Broncos wanted to look his way and bet on him turning the ship around, there's not enough to completely slam the door on Smith, but only at the right cost. At this point in his career, he seems to be nearing the end because of that knee, so it'd be unwise to invest a large sum of money.

Denver could still use linebacker help because there aren't many options available. At this stage, perhaps the Broncos opt to see what they have in Williamson and Kiser on the cheap before throwing in with a big-name linebacker on the decline.

Update: Within the hour of publishing this article, Ian Rapoport reported that Smith will be signing with the Green Bay Packers.

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