Jaylen Smith’s SAM Return Is a Tackle-Rate Upgrade

Jaylen Smith returns from a hip injury for his seventh start, already with 43 total tackles, a 7.2-tackle-per-start pace. Michael Griffin II filled in last week and has 38 defensive tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble over nine games, a 4.2-tackle-per-game rate. The switch back to Smith is a significant run-defense upgrade that media may overlook.