Giants 2022 UFA Primer: LB Jaylon Smith
Jaylon Smith, OLB
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 240 lbs.
Age: 26
NFL Exp.: 5 seasons
College: Notre Dame
The New York Giants acquired linebacker Jaylon Smith off waivers before their Week 15 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, Smith's former team. Within less than a week, Smith was inserted into the lineup where he provided a physical presence in the four games he played.
During his short stay with the Giants, Smith exhibited a variety of strengths at the outside linebacker position that the Giants defense could greatly benefit from moving forward, particularly his pass coverage.
2021 Recap
Considering Smith played under two different defensive systems with both the Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers before becoming a Giant, his transition into his new role played out a lot better than one might have expected.
In 154 snaps on defense, Smith gathered 19 combined tackles, one sack, and one pass defended. Smith turned out to be the best coverage linebacker on the Giants defense, and he put that on full display. Smith managed to earn an 80.8 pass coverage rating from Pro Football Focus, a career-high for the five-year vet.
Outside of his pass coverage abilities, Smith proved how versatile he could be. He delivered the most physical of play from among the inside linebacker candidates, who former defensive coordinators Patrick Graham rotated into the lineup.
Over his four-game stretch, Smith did not miss a single tackle and collected six stops.
Why Giants Should Keep Him
The Giants don’t have many linebackers who can consistently produce in coverage the quality pass defense this team needs. This even includes their incumbent starters, Blake Martinez and Tae Crowder. (Martinez had a reception percentage of 100 on ten targets before getting injured last season, while Crowder allowed 74.4 percent of his 78 targets to be completed.)
With Martinez out of the picture for most of the year, the Giants tried to rely on Reggie Ragland first and then Bernardrick McKinney to help with their ailing pass coverage before realizing that neither man was qualified for that role.
Once the Giants brought on Smith, the difference in efficient coverage he was able to provide was significant, and this skill plus his physical play in filling a hole against the run are reasons why the Giants should look to bring him back.
But what makes Smith so special to have, is the versatility and athleticism he brings for this position. He’s more than just a coverage linebacker who not only has a knack for committing big-time tackles, thanks to his anticipation. He can also play a critical factor in stopping the run and assisting with the pass rush.
From 2018 through 2020, he tallied over 120 combined tackles in each of his last three seasons, leading him to secure his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2019. That year alone, Smith had 142 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and nine passes defended.
Although he was cut by the Cowboys (this likely due to the emergence of rookie Micah Parsons), Smith is still a very good rotational player, who might be worthy of another contract.
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Why Giants Should Not Keep Him
Because we’re talking about a former Pro Bowler who just happens to be 26-years-old, there’s a good chance that Smith might want to look for not only a longer deal but a substantially bigger one. If that’s the case, the Giants don’t have a lot of bargaining room to work with, seeing how low their cap space is.
Aside from that, Smith has also had better seasons as a run stopper. Outside of being able to muster six stops in four games, Smith struggled to inflict the same domineering influence he had against the run two years ago in Dallas as he did this past season. This season, Smith earned a 40.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, a new career-low for the young linebacker.
Keep or Dump?
Considering the Giants desperate need for athletic, speedy, pass coverage linebackers, they should try to do everything they can to bring Smith back on a cost-efficient deal.
Smith didn’t put forth anything particularly flashy for the Giants over his four-game stretch, but he illustrated just how much of a rotational piece he can be for the Giants defense.
Smith has plenty left to offer and provided an instant spark for the Giants pass defense upon his arrival. Barring a demand for a monstrously large contract, the Giants should look to re-sign him on a modest short-term deal so he can compete.
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