The 2021 NFL season will kick off in less than 100 days, and there are still a lot of moving pieces that will occur before we even see teams take the field in 2021. One player who could be on the move this offseason is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith.
Smith has been a star at the linebacker position for Dallas, but due to the teams recent draft selection of Micah Parsons, Smith could very well be on the move. Dallas has been vocal about wanting to keep Leighton Vander-Esch over Jaylon Smith, so we’ll go ahead and look at potential trade destinations for Smith.
Let’s take a look at the three most ideal trade destinations for Jaylon Smith prior to the start of the 2021 NFL season.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are one of the most intriguing teams in the NFL as they’re beginning to take charge in the AFC as a potential Super Bowl favorite. Justin Herbert and his rocket of an arm have the offense under wraps, but the team could still use some help on the defensive side of the ball.
Los Angeles lost Denzel Perryman to the Carolina Panthers this offseason, and bringing in Pro Bowl linebacker Jaylon Smith could make a lot of sense. Smith, alongside the young Kenneth Murray, would form a dynamic duo that would be hard to run against in the highly competitive AFC West.
New Orleans Saints
Trading Smith to a team in the same conference may not seem as likely as moving him to the AFC, but the New Orleans Saints could put together a nice offer for him. The Saints have a dire need at the linebacker position and adding Smith could give them one of the best units in the NFC.
Demario Davis and Zack Baun are the anchors of the Saints’ defensive unit right now, but the addition of Jaylon Smith would give them a nice experienced player to help them. The Saints are in an awkward spot in their franchise’s history, but they’re hoping to stay competitive even after Drew Brees decided to retire.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers could be a nice option to land a linebacker via the trade block this offseason, as that unit on their team took some licks this year. Pittsburgh still has an overall good defense, but adding a few impact players to the linebacker corps could make all the difference in them winning the division title again or missing the playoffs altogether.
Jaylon Smith could be an elite option for the Steelers to bring in, as he would be a nice complementary piece for Devin Bush on the Steelers defense. If they can get it done for a reasonable price, this would be a perfect move.
