Bart Scott and Louis Riddick react after Jaylon Smith's release from the Cowboys was signed by the Packers. (1:22).
GREEN BAY (Wis.) -- While the Packers did not land Stephon Gilmore, an All Pro cornerback, they may have been able to find help in Jaylon Smith, a former Dallas Cowboys linebacker.
His agent Doug Hendrickson of Wasserman said that Smith had reached a deal Thursday morning for a one year contract.
This move was made less than 24 hours after it became known that the Packers were interested in Gilmore. The Packers didn't have enough salary-cap room to trade Gilmore because they would need to inherit $5.8 million of Gilmore's base salary. The Packers only have $6.5 million of cap space, and they still need to make the necessary in-season moves in case of injuries.
Smith is however allowed to keep the cap at $7.2 million because the Cowboys will be paying the entire amount of Smith's base salary due to veteran termination pay rules.
According to ESPN, he will likely be the outside linebacker Chauncey riverss' roster spot. He was injured in practice Wednesday and tore his ACL.
Smith could be a starter for the Packers alongside De'Vondre Camp, who has been a major playmaker this season, or he could simply provide backup depth. Krys Barnes, a second-year professional, opened the season as the starting inside linebacker. He was unable to play last week against the Steelers due to a concussion that he sustained the week before against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Packers used Ty Summers and Oren burks to support Campbell without Barnes.
Smith, 26 years old, saw his role diminish with the Cowboys with the additions of Micah Parsons in the first round, Leighton VanderEsch's production, and the return to the COVID-19 reserve list of Keanu Neal.
Smith was a Cowboys second-round selection in 2016, even though they considered it unlikely that he would play for a full year due to the knee injury he sustained in his last college game at Notre Dame.
He made his debut in 2017, and has been playing in every game since.
