5 high-priced defenders the Cowboys might move on from

Jaylon Smith, LB

Linebacker Jaylon Smith is in a similar boat as Lawrence. His dead money hit if released today would be just over $17 million with a savings of almost $9.5 million.  Once again, that type of hit is just an insane number to carry to not have a player on your team.

I know that I have critiqued Jaylon in the past but I would honestly like to see how he would operate with a legitimate space-eating defensive tackle in front of him where he could see and react without another person in his lap almost immediately after the snap.

Like Lawrence, Smith isn’t going anywhere this year but could be an option at the end of this season. He has a $9.4 million dollar dead money hit after this year with almost half a million dollars in savings. The Dallas Cowboys could cut him after this year and prorate the dead money hit into two seasons reducing the hit even more.

I am not predicting that the Dallas Cowboys will move on from Jaylon after this year but it is feasible to do so if he doesn’t start giving the front office reasons not to. I am placing Jaylon in the maybe category.