Jaylon Smith made an immediate impact for the New Orleans Saints in their second preseason game, eagerly engaging blockers at the line of scrimmage to help defend against the run while proving a tough out in pass coverage while guarding the flats. It was enough to impress head coach Dennis Allen, but he hasn’t quite earned a spot behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner just yet. For now, Allen says, he’s still on the roster bubble.
“I thought it was a good first exposure out there in a game-like situation,” Allen said. “We’ll get another chance this weekend to continue the evaluation process. But I like what I’ve seen over the last week or so from the player. He’s smart, he’s tough, highly instinctive, there’s a lot of things to like.”
Smith appeared to be well on his way to leapfrogging Zack Baun as the team’s third linebacker — but he wouldn’t play many snaps even in that role high up the depth chart. With Allen’s preference for a four-man rush and nickel or dime personnel fielding extra defensive backs, the Saints rarely put three linebackers out on the field at a time.
So how can Smith help himself as he works to make the team? Allen volunteered one pathway to a roster spot: covering punts and kickoffs on special teams.
Allen continued, “I think with him, part of the equation is going to be where does he factor in on special teams? It’s not something he’s done a lot of. I think he’s going to embrace that challenge and hopefully he’ll perform well on teams.”
He’s right on that point — special teams have not been a big part of Smith’s resume in the NFL. He’s never played more than 88 snaps in a single season during the game’s third phase. Baun has been one of their top special teams players in recent years, so it may not be enough for Smith to perform at a high level defensively and make the team. Proving he can help in the kicking game would do a lot to ease Allen’s concerns. We’ll see if Smith has those chops in Sunday’s preseason finale with the Houston Texans.
