The Cowboys cut Jaylon Smith to avoid the possibility of owing his 2022 salary of $9.2 million, which is guaranteed for injury. Before pulling the plug, the Cowboys made Smith a proposal.
Drop the 2022 injury guarantee, and we’ll stay the course.
Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Cowboys asked Smith to revise his contract to eliminate the risk that they’d owe him $9.2 million next year in the event of an injury over the balance of the current season. Smith declined.
He could actually end up with more money this year than he would have gotten in Dallas. If he chooses to take the balance of his $7.2 million 2021 salary as termination pay (all vested veterans can do that once in their careers), Smith can double dip, keeping his full salary from the Cowboys plus whatever he gets from the Packers.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Smith most likely will choose to collect the rest of his Cowboys salary as termination pay.
So Smith gets more money and, most likely, more playing time with the Packers, given the quality of their linebacking corps. Plus, the Packers are as much of a contender as the Cowboys. And maybe they’ll meet in the postseason.
