‘Decent guy, just not very good.’ Dallas Cowboys fans split over Jaylon Smith’s release
If there was one Dallas Cowboys player that elicited more angst and discussion over the past several years it was clearly Jaylon Smith.
Now that he’s gone after the Cowboys released him outright on Tuesday, fans will have to find another player to argue about on social media. (Don’t worry, there are plenty of options.)
While it was clear that Smith’s performance had diminished the past two seasons, nothing made it more clear about where he stood within head coach Mike McCarthy’s defense than his lack of playing time this season. In short, Smith had become somewhat of a liability on the field.
Apparently, some Cowboys fans didn’t notice his diminished skills and plenty were caught off guard by the surprise move. In their defense, it’s not a typical move made by team owner and general manager Jerry Jones, especially with a player such as Smith, who was appreciated in the locker room and loved playing for America’s Team.
Perhaps, however, after a 3-1 start, Jones is looking at the bottom line more than ever and sees a deep playoff run with this team. If so, the Cowboys just cut off some fat and protected themselves somewhat financially if Smith had been injured at some point through the 2022 season. They’ll still have to pay his $7.2 million base salary this year and take a cap hit.
