Tale of the tape: Jaylon Smith "Long Arm"

[glimmerman]

Combination of too many snaps to start, the wear and tear of an NFL season and his leg just not being healthy enough to play regularly.

I think they were trying to push him to see where he was. Not sure regular season was the time to do that unless our backups weren’t as good as him.

 

[Batman1980]

I think they were trying to push him to see where he was. Not sure regular season was the time to do that unless our backups weren’t as good as him.

They wanted to see how much his leg could handle, the answer, not as much as they gave him.

 

[DiResta]

If he improved so much, why was he taken off the field in the last quarter of the season? His snap count decreased significantly.

not debating if he was better or worse at the end of the year
his 2nd game he played like 60 snaps
thats a lot for Lee much less Jaylon. they threw him to the wolves in a beatdown loss where the entire team was embarrassingly terrible.
they had nobody else worth putting on the field once Hitchens hurt his knee then later in the season Lee goes out
when those 2 were healthy they were easily our 2 best linebackers and finally getting them back together let them pull Jaylons snaps back

 

[kazzd58]

He was TERRIBLE last season lets hope he does better this season........these Jerry "Special Kids" projects rarely pan out ...right Mr. Gregory....?

Terrible.. you dont know what you are talking about obviously! and i didnt stutter

 

[DiResta]

I think they gave him to much to soon

understatement
people were wondering if he would play vs Giants, it wasnt a given
the game after that he had to play the entire game
all this because Hitchens knee fracture in i think preseason
if Hitchens was healthy i doubt Smith sees more than a package here or there. sort of like they did toward end of the year

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

If he improved so much, why was he taken off the field in the last quarter of the season? His snap count decreased significantly.

Because 4 year veteran Hitchens got healthy. He just got $9m AAV in VFA for his partial year performance.

 

[speedkilz88]

So when he was at his best, he wasn't able to be a full time player. Got it.

I have to wonder if some of you guys actually watch the games.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

This argument has gotten nowhere in months.

Jaylon sucked early after filling in for Hitchens early in the year. He was juked in the hole, made slow reads, plodded more than a little.

Everyone agrees on this part. I also think that for the most part people accept that he improved as the season went on. By the Atlanta game he was playing noticeably better.

The contention is in how much he improved. Personally, I saw him moving sideline to sideline much better, anticipating runs and routes based on formation, taking on blocks. Many think that position too generous.

Even more contentious is why he improved. There is a crew that insists that his play only improved from reduced snaps.

 

[CyberB0b]

I have to wonder if some of you guys actually watch the games.

Like when the Rams (and other teams) specifically targeted him or one of the last 4 games where he played roughly 1/3 of the snaps and averaged less than 3 solo tackles a game?

We saw too much of this last year:

Not enough of this:

 

[Nightman]

If he improved so much, why was he taken off the field in the last quarter of the season? His snap count decreased significantly.

He played waaaaay tooo much early because of injuries

He was not ready mentally or physically and it showed...he was lost and didn't trust his knee

As the year went on he got to trust his knee and the game started to slow down mentally

We went from a Tazmanian Devil to an NFL LB.... but he flashed some rare talent that makes him special

His snaps were reduced because he was coming off a severe injury was still a rookie....... plus Hitch and Lee were healthy..... no reason to push it

So they let him shine but didn't put the weight of the D on his shoulders......it was good coaching

 

[Nightman]

Like when the Rams (and other teams) specifically targeted him or one of the last 4 games where he played roughly 1/3 of the snaps and averaged less than 3 solo tackles a game?

We saw too much of this last year:

Not enough of this:

If that top GIF is your biggest complaint then you have a lot of explaining to do

He hesitated in the hole but he still filled and made the play

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Like when the Rams (and other teams) specifically targeted him or one of the last 4 games where he played roughly 1/3 of the snaps and averaged less than 3 solo tackles a game?

We saw too much of this last year:

Not enough of this:

The two plays are completely dissimilar. The first one was at the poa where he was filling a lane more than two yards wide; he did manage to force the RB inside. In the other he is pursuing from the backside of the play while the poa was bottled up allowing him to get a TFL.

I do like how you parse it bad run play/good run play though. It shows your level of understanding.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

So when he was at his best, he wasn't able to be a full time player. Got it.

He wasn't a full time player that does not mean he was not able.

How much did Hitchens just get in VFA despite missing the first 6 games?

 

[CyberB0b]

So they let him shine but didn't put the weight of the D on his shoulders......it was good coaching

So they let him shine by playing 1/3 of the snaps...right. His "shine" was making less than 3 solo tackles a game?

If that top GIF is your biggest complaint then you have a lot of explaining to do

He hesitated in the hole but he still filled and made the play

Reference the gif right below. He hesitated, danced, and whiffed on the tackle. The guy got 3-4 yards instead of a slam dunk stop in the backfield. This suggests that his knee is fine, and his instincts are the problem.

 

[Nightman]

So they let him shine by playing 1/3 of the snaps...right. His "shine" was making less than 3 solo tackles a game?


Reference the gif right below. He hesitated, danced, and whiffed on the tackle. The guy got 3-4 yards instead of a slam dunk stop in the backfield. This suggests that his knee is fine, and his instincts are the problem.

I know what I see in him

If you can't or won't see it then that is your loss....... stay salty

 

[glimmerman]

I know what I see in him

If you can't or won't see it then that is your loss....... stay salty

He was a rookie last year forced into more playing time then he should have had. If he improves this year and turns into what he is supposed to be then it’s a success. But isn’t his contract coming up soon. Or do we get a extra year due to his rehab year? If he is what he should be he will be pricey to keep.

 

[Nightman]

He was a rookie last year forced into more playing time then he should have had. If he improves this year and turns into what he is supposed to be then it’s a success. But isn’t his contract coming up soon. Or do we get a extra year due to his rehab year? If he is what he should be he will be pricey to keep.

His status has never been verified

We either have him for 2018-20 on his rookie deal
Or we just have him for 2018-19 and he is an UFA in 2020

 

[glimmerman]

Maybe he gives us a home town discount. Lol. We all know how that goes. This organization took a big chance on him. He may not have been drafted in the second or even the third if we didn’t go for it. This kid owes me..lol. I demand another year of service with a incentive based contract. What the going rate for a LB now a days?

 

[CT Dal Fan]

One has to remember Smith was essentially a rookie last year coming off a major injury. He was not ready to start those first six games and it showed.

However, as his knee (and his confidence in his knee) got stronger, you could see a noticeable difference in his play. He was fast, he was fluid (just watch this video), and he was explosive. Now that he's 100 percent, the Cowboys are getting a superstar. There. I said it.

 

[Batman1980]

One has to remember Smith was essentially a rookie last year coming off a major injury. He was not ready to start those first six games and it showed.

However, as his knee (and his confidence in his knee) got stronger, you could see a noticeable difference in his play. He was fast, he was fluid (just watch this video), and he was explosive. Now that he's 100 percent, the Cowboys are getting a superstar. There. I said it.

Better be, otherwise we spent a 2016 2nd round pick on JAG to sandwich between Lee and Leighton Vander Esch.