Moving to weakside LB Smith will switch places with Leighton Vander Esch (neck) in new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's system and line up on the weak side, David Helman of DallasCowboys.com reports. Impact This isn't necessarily a negative for Smith's IDP value. Regardless of their exact positioning, both Smith and Vander Esch figure to be on the field every play and see around 1,000 snaps if they stay healthy, so reaching triple-digit tackles again shouldn't be an issue. While he did rack up a career-high 142 tackles last season handling duties in the middle, moving to WILL could free up Smith for more blitzing assignments, something he excels at -- the 25-year-old has collected 6.5 sacks over the last two years, including 4.0 in 2018 when Vander Esch played in all 16 games.
AUGUST 7, 2020 • ROTOWIRE