The New Orleans Saints made a smart addition this week by signing Jaylon Smith, but where does the 2019 Pro Bowler fit into their linebacker corps? Odds are good that the Saints will continue to deploy two linebackers in their nickel and dime personnel packages, which has been the most-common look for them in recent years — meaning few snaps will be available for Smith behind Demario Davis and Pete Werner when everyone is healthy.
But there’s a path to success for him as the third linebacker on the depth chart. We’ve seen veterans make the most of those opportunities before, like Manti Te’o, Kiko Alonso, and Craig Robertson. So long as Smith is ready to play when the team calls his number, he should be a positive asset for them.
With that said, here’s what the linebacker corps looks like after adding Smith to the mix; players returning from last year’s 53-man roster are highlighted in bold text.
Middle linebacker
- No. 56 Demario Davis
- No. 52 D’Marco Jackson
- No. 58 Anfernee Orji
- No. 59 Jaylon Smith
Davis played every single snap the Saints saw on defense last year, but he’s been sidelined with a calf injury for the last week at training camp. Jackson is returning from a season-ending injury and, to his credit, has played well; but Smith brings the benefits of extensive starting experience in the NFL and his presence helps settle an unsettled area on the depth chart behind Davis.
Weakside linebacker
- No. 20 Pete Werner
- No. 45 Nephi Sewell
- No. 42 Ty Summers
- No. 40 Nick Anderson
Sewell is returning from the 2022 practice squad and he’s looked the most-reliable out of the second-string linebackers at training camp; it helps that he’s eager to help out on special teams. But that’s also a role where Summers has excelled, and it helped him finish the year on the Saints’ 53-man roster. Hopefully Werner can stay healthy in the fall after missing seven games to injuries through his first two years. If not, Smith has experience lining up outside the hashes and he could help fill in for Werner in a pinch.
Strongside linebacker
- No. 53 Zack Baun
- No. 43 Ryan Connelly
Baun has only ever played a bit part in New Orleans’ defense, and he hasn’t managed to recapture lightning in a bottle like Kaden Elliss did in this role last season. He’s still one of their top special teams players but his poor performance in pass coverage has limited his snap counts defensively. That’s not too surprising seeing as he specialized as a pass rusher, not a coverage ace, in college. The Saints have never played him to his strengths.
