Commanders Sign Star Lineman from XFL

The Washington Commanders are continuing to make some adjustments on the offensive line.

The Commanders are signing offensive tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith, who played for the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks during the spring. In a corresponding move, the team cut offensive tackle Drew Himmelman.

Jones-Smith, 27, had a strong season with the BattleHawks and was named to the All-XFL team at the end of the year. Now, he hopes to parlay that into a roster spot with the Commanders in the fall.

Jones-Smith does have some NFL experience to fall back on. After going undrafted in 2018 from the University of Pittsburgh, Jones-Smith has bounced around the league, playing for the Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens. He has six appearances under his belt, three with the Raiders in 2020 and another three with the Ravens in 2021.

Last offseason, Jones-Smith was in training camp with the Ravens but was among the final roster cuts before the 53-man roster was revealed.

Now, Jones-Smith hopes that he can stick with the Commanders, who have brought in a lot of offensive line help this offseason. It's a wide open contest for who will grab a starting spot, and Jones-Smith is bound to put a little pressure on those higher than him on the depth chart.