Jaguars LB Telvin Smith Announces He Will Not Play In 2019

Update:

The Jacksonville Jaguars released the following statement regarding LB Telvin Smith and his decision to sit out the 2019 season. 

“We will not have a comment about Telvin Smith’s statement at this time. We need to have a conversation with Telvin to understand the situation and the circumstances.

“If there is a way we can support him we need to understand that.”

On Thursday, Jaguars LB Telvin Smith announced via his Instagram account (per Adam Schefter) that he will not play in 2019 while he focuses on his family and health. 

Jaguars’ LB Telvin Smith announced he will not play football in 2019. pic.twitter.com/GHCMhXmDQb

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 9, 2019

Albert Breer previously mentioned that NFL teams were monitoring Smith as possible a trade candidate. However, Breer says that Smith is not officially on the block.

Smith has not been with the Jaguars during offseason conditioning and was called out by Tom Coughlin. 

Smith, 28, is a former fifth-round pick by the Jaguars in the 2014 NFL Draft. He was in the final year of a four-year, $2,431,052 rookie contract when the Jaguars signed him to a four-year, $50 million extension in 2017. 

Smith stands to make base salaries of $9.75 million and $10 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2018, Smith appeared in all 16 games for the Jaguars and recorded 134 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, a defensive touchdown, a forced fumble, a recovery and two pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 44 linebacker out of 92 qualifying players.

We’ll have more regarding Smith as the news is available.