The Las Vegas Raiders turned over a good portion of their roster this offseason once general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll came into town. This included the departures of both starting linebackers, Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo.
These two played the bulk of the reps last season under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, so the room is effectively starting from scratch. Second-year players Amari Gainer and Tommy Eichenberg are both returning, but neither played more than 80 defensive snaps a season ago.
Spytek added veterans like Elandon Roberts and Devin White during free agency, then supplemented them with seventh-round pick Cody Lindenberg out of Minnesota. After the draft, he also signed experienced players like Jaylon Smith and Germaine Pratt.
LB Jaylon Smith has uphill battle to make Raiders' roster
All of a sudden, the Raiders' linebacker room is a bit crowded, with only five players likely to make the team. Roberts, Pratt and White are all seemingly locks to be on the 53-man roster, and one would assume that Las Vegas wants at least one or two young talents among the group.
This means that Smith, the lone veteran who is not a lock to make the roster, could be in a bit of hot water when training camp begins. Once a Pro Bowler for the Dallas Cowboys, Smith's production has dropped off dramatically in recent years, meaning his prime has likely passed him by.
Players like Gainer, Eichenberg, and even Pratt are likely still ascending, so there is not much of a leg to stand on for Smith. If the team needs experience, they can get that from Roberts, White or Pratt, and if they want potential, they have young players like Eichenberg, Gainer or Lindenberg.
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If, by some stroke of good fortune, the team opts to keep a sixth linebacker, Smith could theoretically be back in play. However, it seems more likely that the three aforementioned veterans will make the team, and two of the three young players will round out the group.
He is not likely to land on the practice squad either, as that is typically reserved for less experienced players. However, he could be at an arm's reach for the team if they need to plug and play a veteran because of injury or another unforeseen circumstance.
Smith last played in the NFL during the 2023 season, when he made a cameo appearance in one game for the Silver and Black. After failing to appear in a game for all of last year, it is incredibly unlikely he will make a return for the Raiders in 2025.
However, with Pete Carroll in charge, I suppose that anything is possible, and the best players will play, regardless of who they are or where they come from.