Cowboys Release LB Jaylon Smith
The Cowboys are moving on from a former Pro Bowler. The team is releasing linebacker Jaylon Smith, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
The Cowboys will still be responsible for paying the $7.2MM that Smith is owed in 2021, and the team is going to be eating an additional $9.8MM in cap with the move (per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter). That chunk of cap comes via Smith’s 2022 injury guarantees, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), and that significant chunk of money is a big reason why the Cowboys were unable to find a trade suitor. Smith will be eligible to sign with a new team starting tomorrow afternoon.
Despite being relegated to a backup role in 2021, Smith had been playing pretty well for the Cowboys through the first month of the season. The linebacker had started two of his four games this season, collecting 18 tackles. However, after appearing in 104 defensive snaps in Week 2 and Week 3, Smith was limited to only 28 defensive snaps in Week 4.
The 2016 second-round pick evolved into one of the Cowboys most dependable defensive players during his stint in Dallas. He started each of the Cowboys 48 games between 2018 and 2020, including a 2019 campaign where he collected 142 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles en route to a Pro Bowl appearance. However, the play from teammates Keanu Neal and Leighton Vander Esch (as well as a potential increased role for Jabril Cox) made the veteran expendable.
Other than a weak Week 4 performance, Smith has been more than serviceable this season, ranking as Pro Football Focus’ 11th-best linebacker through the first four weeks (via Twitter). A linebacker-needy team will surely be happy to add the new free agent to their squad.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/2/21
Here is Saturday’s batch of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: LB Dennis Gardeck
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, OL Eric Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Cam Lewis
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: WR Malik Turner
- Promoted: DT Austin Faoliu, DT Justin Hamilton, RB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: LB Curtis Robinson, OL Austin Schlottmann
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: K Ryan Santoso
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from IR: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Placed on IR: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, DB A.J. Moore, LB Hardy Nickerson
- Activated from IR: K Ka’imi Fairbairn
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: DB Dicaprio Bootle
Los Angeles Rams
- Activated from IR: LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
- Promoted: RB Buddy Howell, LB Justin Lawler
- Waived: S J.R. Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: C Cameron Tom
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: C Will Clapp, T Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
New York Giants
- Promoted: C Jonotthan Harrison
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: S Ashtyn Davis, S Sharrod Neasman
- Promoted: OL Isaiah Williams
- Waived: RB Josh Adams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: OL Jack Driscoll, CB Josiah Scott
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: OT Chaz Green, WR Cody White
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DL Maurice Hurst
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: WR Cody Thompson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: CB Pierre Desir, TE Codey McElroy, CB Rashard Robinson
- Waived: DL Khalil Davis
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DL Amani Bledsoe, FB Tory Carter
NFL: Cowboys’ La’el Collins Tried To Bribe Drug Test Official
The NFL believes that Cowboys right tackle La’el Collins attempted to bribe the league’s drug-test collector, according to sources who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. This would help to explain Collins’ recent five-game ban. 
Collins reportedly did not test positive between October 21, 2020 and August 11, 2021. However, he’s missed seven tests along the way. The player’s camp claims that many of those missed tests were due to the pandemic, but attempted bribery is a different matter.
Schefter adds that the NFLPA helped to negotiate a reduction of the suspension, lowering it from five games to two. Instead, Collins filed an appeal and lost. The arbitrator reinstated the full five-game ban, which means that he’ll be out until Week 8, following the Cowboys’ bye. Collins has filed yet another appeal, but it’s believed to be something of a longshot.
All of those game checks will cost Collins approximately $2MM while also canceling next year’s $6.5MM injury guarantee. In the meantime, the rest of the 1-1 Cowboys are set to face the Eagles on Monday night in Dallas.
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/24/21
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bradlee Anae
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Harrison Hand
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: TE Tommy Hudson
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott Discusses Role, Contract
Following a 2020 campaign that saw Ezekiel Elliott finish with a career-low 16.3 touches per game, the veteran running back has only seen 27 carries (13.5 per game) through the first two contests of the 2021 season. His decreasing role in the offense has drawn the ire of Cowboys fans, especially after Elliott inked a lucrative six-year, $90MM extension following a brief 2019 holdout. When asked if he’s bothered by the criticism surrounding his contract and role, Elliott predictably said he ignores the talk.
“You hear it but what really matters is what’s going on in this building,” Elliott said (via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News). “So I mean, they’re not the one signing the checks. They’re not the ones sending the wires. So I mean … I don’t think it matters.”
Of course, a lack of touches isn’t necessarily Elliott’s fault. As Watkins points out, the running back had 20+ carries in 21 games between 2017 and 2019 while playing under Jason Garrett. Over the past year-plus, Elliott has exceeded 20 carries in only three games while playing under head coach Mike McCarthy. Plus, backup Tony Pollard has transformed into a useful piece in the Cowboys offense, and the 24-year-old has outperformed his teammate through the first two games of the season (Pollard has 183 yards and one touchdown on 23 touches, Elliott has 136 yards and one touchdown on 31 touches).
While Elliott will be hard pressed to reach the 1,756 all-purpose yards he averaged through his first four seasons in the NFL, he’s more than willing to watch his teammates succeed.
“It’s a brotherhood,” Elliott said. “Every week we all got the same goal, the same common goal and that’s the goal to win football games. However we got to do that, that’s what we got to do. I see Tony, I see the work he puts in, he’s one of the hardest workers on the team and he’s very talented. He deserves to go out there and play well.”
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/21
Keeping tabs on today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: DB Mazzi Wilkins
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Holton Hill
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Pita Taumoepenu
New England Patriots
- Signed: C Jake Eldrenkamp
New York Giants
- Signed: C Jonotthan Harrison, OL Foster Sarell
- Released: RB Dexter Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Eddie Yarbrough
- Released: TE Jordan Matthews
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Andrew Brown
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/22/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Dallas Cowboys
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Keanu Neal; as a high-risk close contact, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota (on Twitter), Neal can return after a five-day isolation period
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Micah Kiser (story)
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: CB Daryl Worley (story)
- Placed on IR: Ifeatu Melifonwu (story)
Houston Texans
- Promoted: K Joey Slye
Las Vegas Raiders
- Released: LB Marquel Lee
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Harrison Hand
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: DT Naquan Jones
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/21/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Released: K Matt McCrane
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: T Jaryd Jones-Smith, T David Sharpe, CB Linden Stephens
- Released: LB Blake Gallagher, T Foster Sarell, P Johnny Townsend
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: C Lamont Gaillard
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Davion Davis
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: WR Damion Ratley
- Released: K Lirim Hajrullahu
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: S Shawn Davis, DL R.J. McIntosh
- Released: DL Abdullah Anderson, OL Jacob Capra
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Hardy Nickerson
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: LB Micah Kiser
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: RB Ameer Abdullah
New England Patriots
- Signed: C Drake Jackson
New York Giants
- Signed: DB Steven Parker
- Released: TE Ryan Izzo
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Richard Rodgers
- Released: C Harry Crider
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DE Taco Charlton (story)
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: CB Dee Virgin
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR John Hurst, CB Rashard Robinson
Cowboys Move Micah Parsons To DE
The Cowboys could not resist selecting Micah Parsons with the No. 12 overall pick of the 2021 draft, despite their existing depth at linebacker. Parsons was widely regarded as the best off-ball LB in this year’s class, but recent losses along Dallas’ D-line have forced the team to move its top draft choice to DE, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes.
The club’s top pass rusher, DeMarcus Lawrence, will be sidelined for the next six to eight weeks due to a broken foot, and fellow DE Randy Gregory has found himself on the reserve/COVID-19 list, leading to an immediate need for reinforcements. Luckily, one of Parsons’ key attributes is his ability to get after opposing quarterbacks, and the Cowboys trained him as a designated pass rusher during offseason workouts.
Depending on how long Parsons remains at defensive end, and how successful he is in his new role, the transition could theoretically impact Dallas’ future plans. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is eligible for free agency following the 2021 campaign since the Cowboys declined his fifth-year option, and Gregory is also in his platform year. Dallas does not plan to entertain extension talks with either player during the season. Plus, free agent acquisition Keanu Neal is being deployed as a linebacker, and LB Jaylon Smith is signed though 2025, though the Cowboys could get out of his contract after this season if they choose.
In short, there are a lot of ways Dallas could go with respect to its front seven. Obviously, the expectation is that Parsons will eventually move back to the position that he was drafted to play, but a successful stint as a DE could change things and will only enhance his value.
In related news, Terence Steele is expected to get the nod at right tackle while La’el Collins is serving his five-game suspension (Twitter link via Todd Archer of ESPN.com).
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/18/21
The customary Saturday minor moves avalanche:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: S Chris Banjo, CB Antonio Hamilton
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Kevon Seymour, T Andre Smith
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: DL Margus Hunt, T Alex Taylor
- Placed on IR: T Larry Borom
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: S Sean Davis
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: LB Elijah Lee
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: RB Damarea Crockett, OL Austin Schlottmann
Houston Texans
- Promoted: TE Antony Auclair, K Joey Slye
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: WR Laquon Treadwell
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: OL Lester Cotton, RB Trey Ragas
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: DL Joe Gaziano
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Micah Kiser, DL Justin Lawler
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: CB Jamal Perry
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: RB Ameer Abdullah, S Myles Dorn, QB Sean Mannion
- Waived: TE Brandon Dillon
New England Patriots
- Promoted: LB Tashawn Bower, K Nick Folk
- Placed on IR: K Quinn Nordin (story)
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: DE Jalyn Holmes, LB Wynton McManis, DB Jordan Miller, C Austin Reiter (story)
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Jets
- Promoted: S Adrian Colbert, LB Del’Shawn Phillips
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on IR: LB Dre Greenlaw (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted: TE Tommy Hudson