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Former quarterback-spy Jaylon Smith now could be a rivalry spy.
The Giants signed Smith — who made a Pro Bowl over parts of five seasons starting at inside linebacker for the Cowboys — to their practice squad Friday, two days before the latest Giants-Cowboys game.
At his best, Smith, 26, had the athleticism to serve as a spy on running quarterbacks and earned a contract extension that guaranteed him $19 million at signing. Now his first job might be to debrief the Giants on all he knows about the Cowboys’ offense because it is unlikely he can get ready to be on the field in time for the game.
Smith’s career almost ended before it started because of a major knee injury in his last game at Notre Dame. But he recovered to become a 100-tackle-per-year force. He was cut by the Cowboys after four games this season and cut again last month after two games with the Packers.
Smith’s brother Rod, a running back, signed with the Giants after he was cut by the Cowboys in 2020 but never played in another regular-season game. The Giants are short at inside linebacker with Blake Martinez on injured reserve, and Reggie Ragland and Benardrick McKinney battling flu-like symptoms this week.
There is an outside chance that DL Leonard Williams can play in his 109th straight game (the length of his career).
Williams’ triceps injury suffered last Sunday initially was feared severe enough to jeopardize the rest of the season, but further testing offered encouraging results and suggested limited missed time. After he was able to use his upper body in Thursday’s practice, Williams is listed as “questionable” and a limited walk-through participant on the injury report.
“With the way things turned out [because of COVID-19 cancellations] and how we had to do things, it kind of bought him a day,” head coach Joe Judge said. “We’ll bring him in [Saturday] before all the other players get here to give us a better view of what it would be like going into a game day. Whatever he can do, we’ll make sure to utilize, if he’s safe to go out there.”
The rest of the injury report included: QB Daniel Jones (out, neck), OG Ben Bredeson (doubtful, ankle), DT Austin Johnson (questionable, foot), WR Sterling Shepard (questionable, calf). RB Saquon Barkley (ankle) is a go despite practice limitations.
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