Mike McCarthy explains ‘big-picture’ decision to release LB Jaylon Smith

TwoCentPlain · Oct 6, 2021

America's Cowboy said:
The bigger question is...who is next?

La’el Collins in a trade, I hope. $13M Dead cap in 2022 if traded now.

JoeKing · Oct 6, 2021

Blake said:
You would’ve said the same about Bill Belichick in that situation.

Bill is known for not sharing anything. To your point, MM did what was right from his perspective. But this ambiguous approach to explaining what happened just grows speculation that might not be true.

JoeKing · Oct 6, 2021

ninja said:
La’el Collins in a trade, I hope. $13M Dead cap in 2022 if traded now.

You hate La'el.

khiladi · Oct 6, 2021

But the Cowboys wanted to avoid another contract implication: the $9.2 million injury guarantee for 2022 that would have triggered should Smith had been hurt this year.

That explains it. He can get hurt this year and cost them big bucks for next year. 100% financial, with mediocre to maximum average play this year that can easily be reproduced, if not better, for less risk overall…

khiladi · Oct 6, 2021

stasheroo said:
They couldn’t. He had wrist surgery in January and couldn’t pass the physical in March so he got his 2021 salary guaranteed.

This man is slick. He positioned that surgery perfectly, way better than the positioning he takes on the field.

SteveTheCowboy · Oct 6, 2021

Ranching said:
Why call him Fat? That's stupid! Maybe we should call some guys around here neutered, stupid, short, clueless, ignorant, wannabes, geeks, keyboard heroes, pimple faced, dweeb, skinny, puny etc.....

I don't get it either. Makes them feel tough....in the kool kids klub

khiladi · Oct 6, 2021

LVE is completely different, because this is his last year in a contract as far as I know. He’s a UFA next year and I don’t see him getting better with the fused vertebrae. LVE is playing for a new contract, so Dallas can get the best out of what’s left without any risk.

Unlike Jaylon, he has football instincts. He’s just becoming a liability because of a neck issue, even with the fused vertebrae, which will probably get worse, like Manning. Jaylon, as much as an athlete he was, lacks football smarts.

Jarntt · Oct 6, 2021

I guess the team finally "watched the film" :thumbup:

john van brocklin · Oct 6, 2021

stasheroo said:
Wait and see. If he doesn’t turn it around in a big way when he returns, he will be next.

He does a lot of the dirty work
But I would like to see more sacks.
What are the cap implications?

morasp · Oct 6, 2021

conner01 said:
More about the injury guarantee than anything else
We have better options so the risk was too high to keep him around

From what I have seen and read it wouldn't have to be season or career ending but could be any simple offseason surgery that might make cause him to fail the physical.

MyFairLady · Oct 6, 2021

CATCH17 said:
For any of us fans that are as tuned in as us on this site it should be no surprise that he was cut. It’s more of a surprise he’s on the team.

Well said.

RicKospia · Oct 6, 2021

Doomsday101 said:
They reviewed each player on the team’s roster and decided: It was time.

“This was a big-picture roster move,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday morning.

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has started 56 games for the Cowboys since 2017, was released.

The decision was multifaceted. Smith’s contract, his play and the Cowboys’ young starters developing quicker than expected factored in. The leverage given to defensive coordinator Dan Quinn in his first season was also a component in pulling the trigger. In 2019, Smith signed a five-year extension through 2025 worth $64 million with $35.5 million guaranteed, including his 2021 salary of $7.2 million. Smith is still owed that salary this year. But the Cowboys wanted to avoid another contract implication: the $9.2 million injury guarantee for 2022 that would have triggered should Smith had been hurt this year.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy explains ‘big-picture’ decision to release LB Jaylon Smith (msn.com)

Thanks for good post.

BAT · Oct 6, 2021

BAT · Oct 6, 2021

WoodysGirl said:

Jaylon was a monster in 2018.

Not sure why his play just fell off a cliff the following year.

Ren · Oct 6, 2021

No need to over analyze it, we have like 4LBs better than him on the roster making far less money

CowboyRoy · Oct 6, 2021

Doomsday101 said:
They reviewed each player on the team’s roster and decided: It was time.

“This was a big-picture roster move,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday morning.

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Jaylon Smith, who has started 56 games for the Cowboys since 2017, was released.

The decision was multifaceted. Smith’s contract, his play and the Cowboys’ young starters developing quicker than expected factored in. The leverage given to defensive coordinator Dan Quinn in his first season was also a component in pulling the trigger. In 2019, Smith signed a five-year extension through 2025 worth $64 million with $35.5 million guaranteed, including his 2021 salary of $7.2 million. Smith is still owed that salary this year. But the Cowboys wanted to avoid another contract implication: the $9.2 million injury guarantee for 2022 that would have triggered should Smith had been hurt this year.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy explains ‘big-picture’ decision to release LB Jaylon Smith (msn.com)

The hard truth is that Jaylon sucked way before this year and it was obvious. I dont care if they didnt know about being able to get Parsons or Cox. They should have cut him prior to having his contract guaranteed.

They could have easily picked up any linebacker in FA that would have been better.

CowboyRoy · Oct 6, 2021

BAT said:
Jaylon was a monster in 2018.

Not sure why his play just fell off a cliff the following year.

He had good year, but I was shocked when he made the pro bowl. Same with LVE. I think they both made it as injury replacements.

CowboyRoy · Oct 6, 2021

zrinkill said:
One less hotboy

Sorry buddy, but you dont get off the hook that easy. You were just telling us all a few days ago how good Jaylon was.

Too funny acting like you didnt like him. :thumbdown:

Hawkeye0202 · Oct 6, 2021

khiladi said:
This man is slick. He positioned that surgery perfectly, way better than the positioning he takes on the field.

But If they really wanted to release him in March could they not have worked out an injury settlement? Honestly, I'm not sure they wanted to release him at that time. As you know, generally you don't release a starter w/o a replacement. Hell, if you remember, they've even admitted Parson or LBer was not their first choice with the first-round pick but once he was drafted, Jaylon was doom.

CowboyRoy · Oct 6, 2021

fivetwos said:
I'm surprised he was cut NOW.

They kept him after some ridiculously poor play, then he finally has a decent game spying Hurts, THEN they cut him.

After the salary was fully guaranteed.

If you listen to MM this is about having to face some tough roster decisions coming up.

I'm still shocked they did this, but not in the kind of way thats upsetting.

I agree it is surprising, but only because we are used to the Cowboys never being smart like this.

This is no longer Garretts cowboys. We have REAL football people with powerful voices telling jerry what to do.

But as far as Jaylon, this move should have been done last year.

Mike McCarthy explains ‘big-picture’ decision to release LB Jaylon Smith

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