Aldon Smith - Pro Football Rumors

West Notes: Collins, Gruden, 49ers, Seahawks

October 27th, 2014 at 6:48pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Former Raiders guard Mo Collins passed away Sunday at the age of 38, writes Steve Corkran of the Contra Costa Times. Collins, a first-round pick in 1998, played in 71 games over six seasons in Oakland, and was a part of the Raiders squad that made a Super Bowl run in 2002. Per Langston Wertz of the Charlotte Observer, Collin had been working as an assistant coach at his former high school, and even secured a grant from the Panthers in order to install an artificial turf field. Our thoughts go out to Collins’ friends and family.

Jon Gruden told one close friend that the Raiders‘ gig is the one job he’d come back to the NFL for, tweets Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Still, Gruden has a very comfortable and high-paying job as the color commentator of Monday Night Football and it’s not a given that he would give that up.
49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, that his club doesn’t figure to make any trades before tomorrow’s deadline.
Within the same piece, Harbaugh says he hasn’t heard anything from the league regarding a reduction of Aldon Smith‘s suspension.
Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap looks at the financial ramifications of Jake Long‘s season-ending injury, and delves into the decisions the Rams will have to make on Long, Sam Bradford, and Kendall Langford in the coming months.
With cornerback Byron Maxwell nursing a calf injury, the Seahawks worked out several defensive backs today, auditioning David Van Dyke, Rashaan Melvin, and Trevin Wade, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
The Chargers brought in linebacker Shayne Skov for a tryout last week, tweets ESPN’s Adam Caplan. Skov has spent time with both the 49ers and the Buccaneers this year.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Sunday Roundup: Lynch, Broncos, 49ers

October 26th, 2014 at 12:33pm CST by Rory Parks

The Seahawks traded Percy Harvin amid rumors that his presence had created a rift in the locker room, and now no one expects Marshawn Lynch to return to Seattle next year, including Lynch himself, writes ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk adds that Lynch has grown increasingly “salty” over his contract and his role in the Seahawks’ offense, and Seattle is simply tired of contending with his persistent discontent. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Lynch communicates minimally, if at all, with head coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks’ management.

Citing NFL Media’s Michael Robinson, Conor Orr of NFL.com writes that the time is now for Russell Wilson to lead his team through this shroud of controversy and distraction, and as far as the on-field ramifications of Lynch’s potential departure, Rapoport tweets that he expects Seattle to take a running back early in next year’s draft. Mortensen writes that the Seahawks may have made Lynch available via trade this year, but the trickle-down effect from fullback Derrick Coleman‘s recent injury has taken that option off the table.

Now for some more notes from around the league:

Brian McIntyre tweets that, if the Seahawks do, in fact, release Lynch in 2015, they will have saved $17.5MM in cash and $12.7MM in cap space with the departures of Lynch and Harvin.
Our Luke Adams wrote several days ago that the Broncos do not anticipate reaching a contract extension with either of their top pending free agents, Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas. Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that the offers Denver made to the Thomases remain on the table, but it appears nothing will happen until the offseason. Klis goes on to note that the contract situations of both players are quite different, and he describes what it might take for Denver to retain both (spoiler: a lot of money).
Rapoport tweets that the 49ers could get Aldon Smith back as early as Monday, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter writes that, with the impending returns of Smith, NaVorro Bowman, and Glenn Dorsey, San Francisco could be looking to deal a defensive player or two from the back end of its depth chart to create roster space for those players.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that the Steelers, after making little effort to re-sign Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery in the offseason, are still looking for a reliable complement for Antonio Brown.
Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel wonders if the Packers will make a trade to address their weakness at inside linebacker.
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com tweets that, if the Jets part ways with head coach Rex Ryan, the Falcons would be the perfect landing spot for him.
Joel Corry of National Football Post takes a deeper look at Gerald McCoy’s new deal with the Buccaneers.

West Notes: Young, Seahawks, 49ers

October 20th, 2014 at 6:35pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Raiders are the only winless team remaining in the NFL, and they’ll be without one member of their secondary as they try to right the ship. Safety Usama Young will miss the remainder of the season after tearing both his ACL and MCL, reports Bill Williamson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Young, 29, is in his seventh NFL season, and has also spent time with the Saints and Browns. Brandian Ross will take over at strong safety in Oakland, and presuming Young is placed on injured reserve, the team will be able to add another body to the defensive backfield to fill his roster spot. Here’s more from the NFL’s two West division:

After fullback Derrick Coleman broke his foot during warmups on Sunday, Pete Carroll today told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link), that the Seahawks will keep all options open with regards to adding a new FB.
For his part, Coleman will be out at least six weeks, per Carroll (Twitter link via Condotta).
Seattle wanted to sign fullback Kiero Small off the Browns’ practice squad, tweets Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, so Cleveland promoted him to the active roster to ensure the Seahawks couldn’t steal him. Small was originally drafted by Seattle.
Don’t look for former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson to reappear in Seattle. Carroll coyly told reporters that Robinson is doing a good job in his role as a television commentator (Twitter link via Condotta).
Jim Harbaugh has no knowledge of Mike Florio’s Pro Football Talk report that indicated Aldon Smith‘s suspension could be reduced, the 49ers coach told Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

49ers Notes: Manning, Harbaugh, Smith, Baalke

October 19th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Rob DiRe

As the Broncos and 49ers are battling on Sunday Night Football, it is a time to think about what could have been for both franchises. After being cut from the Colts, Peyton Manning considered the 49ers as a potential suitor, at least for a brief amount of time. Manning eventually decided not to include the team on his list of finalists, and one major reason for that was a concern about his inability to coexist with head coach Jim Harbaugh, reports Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

Harbaugh, who is known to be a control freak on offense, likely would not have given Manning the freedom he desired and ultimately received with head coach John Fox in Denver.

Here are some other notes from around the 49ers:

Florio also said that outside linebacker Aldon Smith could return from his nine-game suspension one or two weeks early, reports Kevin Lynch of SFGate.com (via Twitter).
There are a few possible reasons that Smith could return early, including the fact that he waived his right to appeal the suspension, and possible side deals he could have made with the league, reports Florio.
General manager Trent Baalke says he has no knowledge of any reduction in suspension for Smith, reports Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. Maiocco also notes that the NFL has maintained that there is no update on his status going forward.
Former NFL receiver and NFL broadcaster Cris Collinsworth addressed the ongoing drama between Harbaugh and the 49ers, noting that the team should just pay him like a top quality coach, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.

NFC West Links: Smith, Rams, Cardinals

August 30th, 2014 at 9:24pm CST by Ben Levine

We learned yesterday that 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will be suspended for the first nine games of the 2014 season for violating the league’s policies for substances of abuse and personal conduct.

Today, a statement was released on behalf of the former Pro Bowler (via the NFL Network’s Albert Breer):

“I apologize to my teammates, coaches, the entire 49ers organization and 49ers fans for not being able to contribute on the field for the next several weeks. Over the last year, I have learned a lot and I’m working hard to grow from my experiences. I want to thank my family and friends, my teammates, my union and the 49ers for supporting me during this process. I will be at work daily to participate in all permitted work activities, and to support my teammates, just as they have supported me.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the NFC West…

The Rams will “take a look” at free agent quarterback Terrelle Pryor, tweets ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. Pryor was released by the Seahawks earlier today.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher indicated that there might not be a spot on the practice squad for recently released rookie Michael Sam. “The practice squad is heavily dependent on what you do in other positions…We may have to go heavy in the other positions,” Fisher said (via Wagoner’s Twitter).
The Cardinals currently have six wide receivers on their roster, but Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com warns that players like Walt Powell could easily be moved to the practice squad.

Aldon Smith Suspended For Nine Games

August 29th, 2014 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

3:30pm: According to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (via Twitter), Smith’s suspension breaks down as four games for violations of substances of abuse and five games for personal conduct violations. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (via Twitter) that the settlement allows Smith to be around the Niners’ facility during the suspension, which is something the team wanted “very badly.”

3:07pm: 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has been suspended for the first nine games of the 2014 season, the NFL announced today (Twitter link via director of NFC football communications Randall Liu). The ban, for violating the league’s policies for substances of abuse and personal conduct, will sideline Smith until mid-November.

A report earlier in August had suggested the Niners were anticipating a suspension ranging from four to eight games for the standout linebacker, so the nine-game penalty is a significant blow for a club with Super Bowl aspirations. In the wake of a two-game suspension for Ray Rice that was perceived as too light, the league has shown little mercy for Josh Gordon or for Smith, who was disciplined for multiple legal run-ins, including DUI and gun charges.

The Niners exercised Smith’s fifth-year option for 2015 earlier in the offseason, suggesting that the club has confidence he can stay out of trouble in the future. Still, that salary isn’t yet fully guaranteed, so the 2014 season represents an audition of sorts for the talented pass rusher — if he performs well again on the field and doesn’t have any off-field issues, he’ll be a strong candidate for an extension in 2015. On the other hand, if he has more troubles with the law, Smith may not have a long-term future in San Francisco.

49ers Preparing For Aldon Smith To Be Suspended 4-8 Games

August 8th, 2014 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

10:53am: According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the Niners believe they’ll be without Smith for six games, or perhaps fewer than that. The team is hoping for a four-game ban, says Rapoport.

8:30am: As we heard last night, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell this week to discuss Smith’s multiple legal run-ins, including DUI and gun charges. Following that meeting, it should be just a matter of time before the league announces a suspension for the linebacker to kick off the season, and according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), the team is bracing for a ban that covers six to eight games.

Maiocco notes that the team isn’t certain of the NFL’s verdict yet, so Smith’s penalty may ultimately not be quite so harsh — in fact, San Francisco may be preparing for the worst possible scenario so as not to be caught off guard in the event of a lengthy suspension. However, Goodell and the league figure to be under scrutiny after receiving criticism for a Ray Rice suspension that was viewed as too light, so it’s unlikely that the commish would be overly lenient on Smith, particularly since the 24-year-old has repeatedly violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The Niners exercised Smith’s fifth-year option for 2015 earlier in the offseason, suggesting that the club has confidence he can stay out of trouble in the future. Still, that salary isn’t yet fully guaranteed, so the 2014 season represents an audition of sorts for the talented pass rusher — if he performs well again on the field and doesn’t have any off-field issues, he’ll be a strong candidate for an extension in 2015. On the other hand, if he has more troubles with the law, Smith may not have a long-term future in San Francisco.

Extra Points: McNair, Smith, Brent, Dalton

August 7th, 2014 at 9:38pm CST by Zachary Links

After a 10-month ordeal in which he battled two forms of cancer under an assumed name at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Texans owner Bob McNair has been given a clean bill of health by the team of doctors that treated him, writes John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Here’s a look around the NFL as we enjoy some preseason football..

It was originally scheduled for Friday, but 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith actually met with commissioner Roger Goodell earlier today, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Goodell is expected to discipline Smith, perhaps with a multiple-game suspension, to start the season.
Former Cowboys nose tackle Josh Brent also met with Goodell and a source tells Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com that the meeting went well. Owner Jerry Jones said earlier that he’ll create a roster spot for the defensive lineman if he’s not suspended.
In a piece for CBSSports.com, former agent Joel Corry gives his take on Andy Dalton‘s new contract with the Bengals. Corry writes that the deal sets a new middle salary tier for quarterbacks, one that hasn’t been in place since Mark Sanchez was cut by the Jets and Matt Schaub took a paycut from his Texans deal upon joining the Raiders. The pact may also set a salary ceiling for teammate A.J. Green.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes that everything is “lined up for” his team in 2014, writes Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports. “I feel like everything’s lined up for us, with the buildings and the upgrades and everything. It’s all about progress and growth. That’s the way we run our football operations, and I feel like we’re just getting ready to have our best run, hopefully,” the coach said. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers is excited about their young talent at the skill positions, Jordy Nelson‘s new contract, and the addition of Julius Peppers on the defensive line.
Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon might have been the only person in Tampa Bay who was upset to see coach Greg Schiano go, writes Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times. Schiano was absolutely convinced Glennon was not only the Bucs’ franchise quarterback of the future, but the present. Now that Schiano is out and Lovie Smith is in, Glennon has gone from starter to backup.
The Saints traded Darren Sproles to the Eagles this offseason but they might have a clone in UDFA Derrick Strozier, writes Jarrett Bell of USA Today. It won’t be easy landing a spot in a backfield that includes veterans Pierre Thomas, Mark Ingram, Khiry Robinson, and Travaris Cadet, but the diminutive Strozier looks good so far.

Goodell To Meet With Josh Gordon, Aldon Smith

July 31st, 2014 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we heard that former Cowboys defensive tackle Josh Brent will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell within the next week or so in an effort to be reinstated into the NFL. However, that’s not the only meeting with a player on Goodell’s schedule for the next week and a half. According to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, the commish will also meet with 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith on August 8, and will sit down with Browns wideout Josh Gordon sometime before then.

Both Smith and Gordon are facing suspensions for off-field actions. In Smith’s case, three felony gun charges, a DUI, and an alleged fake bomb threat loom large, and are expected to result in a multi-game ban. As for Gordon, who is facing a possible one-year suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy, his appeal hearing remains scheduled for tomorrow, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). Gordon’s reps will argue that his failed test was a result of second-hand smoke, and that if his two urine samples had arbitrarily flipped labels, he would have passed the test.

Goodell, who previously had established a reputation as a strict disciplinarian, has been under scrutiny for the lenient punishment he handed down to Ravens running back Ray Rice, who only received a two-game ban following an ugly domestic abuse case involving his then-fiancée.

West Notes: 49ers, Smith, Davis, Burnett

July 24th, 2014 at 8:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News doesn’t blame 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for trying to put a positive spin on things. “It’s such a positive happening, that first day,” Harbaugh said during his first session in the Levi’s Stadium auditorium. “Imagine you’re kind of in the comfort of the offseason, like being in the comfort of the womb, got plenty to eat in there, it’s warm, very cozy. And then you’re born, kind of, somewhat into the unknown. A lot of people looking at you, a lot of faces looking at you, a lot of excitement … It’s light, it’s bright, it’s noisy, it’s the crazy world of football.” It’s probably a good thing that the Niners have such a positive voice leading the charge given their contractual issues, injuries, and the Aldon Smith situation. Here’s more out of the AFC and NFC West..

It has been alleged that Smith, the 49ers most feared pass rusher, was inebriated when he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport, but he says that he has maintained sobriety since September, writes Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Smith says he will meet with commissioner Roger Goodell in New York sometime in the “near future” to talk about his future and any possible suspension. Meanwhile, those close to Smith expect him to be suspended, Ed Werder of ESPN.com tweets.
49ers tight end Vernon Davis said that his holdout is something that is “in the past” and added that he’s not worried about his contract, tweets Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. The contract discussions, he says, are between the team and his agent.
Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) is surprised the Raiders didn’t release Kevin Burnett sooner. The linebacker is 31, overpriced to be a backup, and there were concerns about how he’d take to a reserve role. The 31-year-old recorded 83 tackles and 2.5 sacks with an interception and four pass deflections last season.