NFL Rumors: Jaylon Smith Agrees to Saints Contract After Cowboys, Giants Stints

The New Orleans Saints waived linebacker Jaylon Smith on Tuesday, but he's back with the team on its practice squad, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

The former Notre Dame star spent last season with the New York Giants and finished second on the team with 88 tackles (46 solo) despite missing four games. He also added a pair of quarterback hits, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Smith began his career with the Dallas Cowboys, who selected him with the No. 34 overall choice in the 2016 NFL draft.

Smith won the Butkus Award as college football's best linebacker in 2015, but his season ended tragically after suffering ACL and LCL tears in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl. He decided to forego his remaining NCAA eligibility and enter the NFL draft.

Despite the injuries, Dallas selected him early in the second round, and that turned out to be a good pick. He missed the 2016 season due to rehab but made his debut in 2017. One year later, he earned a full-time starting spot at linebacker, and he then amassed 417 tackles from 2018-2020. Smith also earned Pro Bowl honors in 2019.

Dallas released Smith in 2021, though, and he soon caught on with the Green Bay Packers. His time in Green Bay didn't last long, and the Giants then picked him up. He became a mainstay on a Giants team that made the playoffs for the first time in six years.

Smith didn't make an initial 53-man roster this season, but he's still in the league as a practice squad member and could very well get the call-up back to the NFL in 2023.