Although it feels like a lifetime ago, the Las Vegas Raiders only parted ways with Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler halfway through the 2023 campaign. That was just a little over two calendar years ago, and yet, there is hardly a trace of their influence left in Las Vegas.
While that may be a good thing, it's not like those who took their place have been any better. The Raiders have been stuck in a pit of despair, and even worse, the players who were brought in by previous regimes continually get kicked to the curb by the new brass.
Such was the case for safety Chris Smith II, who was drafted in the fifth round by McDaniels and Ziegler in 2023. He didn't get much run early in his rookie season, and before he knew it, the coach and general manager who brought him in were gone.
Former Raiders safety Chris Smith II waived by Rams, claimed by Jets
Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco did not seem particularly fond of Smith either, and Pete Carroll and John Spytek finally pulled the plug on the experiment last month, waiving him after their Monday Night Football loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.
After being waived by Las Vegas, Smith was instantly claimed by the Los Angeles Rams. He played four games for them, recording 65 special teams snaps, which was well over a 50% share, but still never touched the field on defense.
On Tuesday, the Rams waived Smith, putting his NFL career in jeopardy once again. However, the New York Jets swooped in with a Christmas Eve present for the third-year pro, claiming him off waivers to replace quarterback Justin Fields, who was just placed on Injured Reserve.
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New York's safety group is absolutely beaten up at this point in the season, as they have three players at the position currently on IR. They've also got a nickel cornerback and two outside corners on IR. This Jets defense is insanely decimated.
While that is never a good thing, it certainly provides Smith with an opportunity to make an impact on defense and hopefully land a reserve/future contract to stay in New York. He is currently listed as the second-string strong safety, and he'll need to learn the playbook fast, but he could maybe rotate in.
If Smith does get an opportunity, Raiders fans will certainly be cheering for him. Not only because Smith left the franchise in an uneventful manner and deserves a chance at success, but as an added bonus, fans are cheering hard for New York to win and clear Las Vegas' path in the 2026 NFL Draft.