Report: Jaylon Smith working out for Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly hosting former Cowboys second-round draft pick Jaylon Smith for a workout on Wednesday, according to Jordan Schultz.
Smith spent the 2022 season with the New York Giants playing on a one-year deal for $1 million. His contract ran out in March and he’s been on the free agents market since. The Cowboys released him in October of the 2021 season. The Packers picked him up but he never appeared in a game for them, then New York signed him following the end of the year.
In 13 games for the Giants, Smith had 88 tackles with one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. His best years in the league, however, came with Dallas from 2018-2020. He signed a six-year extension with the Cowboys worth a whopping $68.4 million but they ended up cutting him just a year and a half into that new deal.
At 28 years old, the Notre Dame alum still has a lot to offer. The Raiders, meanwhile, have several injuries impacting the defense during training camp. First-round draft pick Tyree Wilson is out with a foot injury while defensive linemen Byron Young and Neil Farrell are also out for undisclosed reasons.
Raiders release TE O.J. Howard
The Las Vegas Raiders released tight end O.J. Howard on Tuesday, according to a report from Vincent Bonsignore. Howard signed a one-year deal for $1.23 million with the Raiders in March after spending a season with the Houston Texans.
Following the release of the former first-rounder, the Raiders also added quarterback Chase Garbers to the roster, Bonsignor shared. Garbers previously worked out for the Seattle Seahawks. The former Cal star hasn’t recorded any stats yet in the NFL.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Howard with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
He spent five seasons in Tampa Bay and was most productive in his first three years with the Bucs. He had 119 catches for 1,737 yards and 15 touchdowns, and after the 2021 season was signed to a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills. The Bills released Howard on August 30, 2022, and the Texans signed him one week later.
In Week 1 with the Texans last season, he caught two catches for 38 yards and two touchdowns. However, he finished the year with just 10 receptions for 145 yards.
In his four years in Tuscaloosa, he hauled in 114 receptions for 1,726 yards and seven touchdowns, having some of his best career performances in College Football Playoff games.