The Las Vegas Raiders have had a major roster overhaul after hiring John Spytek and Pete Carroll. That includes a nearly all-new linebacker room, as second-year players Tommy Eichenberg and Amari Gainer are the only two players at the position who were on last year's roster.
There are currently ten linebackers battling for a roster spot; however, the team will not carry that many players on their final roster. It is possible that up to half of the room is no longer on the team by Aug. 26, when teams are required to finalize their 53-man roster to begin the regular season.
After two preseason games, veterans Elandon Roberts, Germaine Pratt, Devin White and Jamal Adams all appear to be locks to make the roster. A recent report predicted that the lone remaining veteran, Jaylon Smith, could be on the verge of being cut.
Raiders linebacker Jaylon Smith listed as potential cut candidate
Smith was on the verge of being one of the top picks in the 2016 NFL Draft after winning the Buktus Award and being named an All-American for the second consecutive season in his final year with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
He has since become a major reason for players choosing to opt out of bowl games after suffering a torn ACL and LCL in the Fiesta Bowl. Despite the injury, the Dallas Cowboys selected Smith 34th overall.
While he has been able to build a long career and even made a Pro Bowl appearance in 2019, he has not been able to become the player many expected him to be before the injury. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report predicted that Smith will not make the final 53-man roster.
"The reality is that while Jaylon Smith may once have been a big deal, the 30-year-old never had much of a chance to make the team. It’s an awful story—and an object lesson in why so many collegiate players now skip bowl games," Davenport wrote. "The gruesome knee injury Smith had in his last game at Notre Dame altered the entire trajectory of his career, and while he did get a big second contract from the Dallas Cowboys, two years after signing that deal, he was visibly slower and out of Dallas. Smith just isn't an NFL-caliber linebacker anymore. And truthfully, he hasn't been for some time."
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Smith has appeared in both preseason games, recording four total tackles, three of which were solo tackles. It is not guaranteed that the former collegiate star will be cut; however, it likely depends on how many linebackers the Raiders decide to keep on their Week 1 roster.
He is currently listed as the sixth linebacker on the depth chart, behind Roberts, Pratt, White, Adams and Eichenberg. If Las Vegas does indeed keep six linebackers, he figures to have an edge on the rest of the competition.
Given his experience, Smith should be able to beat out Gainer, Michael Barrett, Cody Lindenberg and Matt Jones, all of whom are either in their first or second season. If not, Smith could be cut before the 2025 NFL season despite being a former Pro Bowler.