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Aldon Smith

Reactions to Aldon Smith Release

August 8th, 2015 at 11:15am CST by Ben Levine

Following linebacker Aldon Smith‘s release from the 49ers yesterday, some of his former teammates voiced their concern for the 25-year-old. Still, consider all the turnover this offseason, the players know it’s best to look forward, and they made that clear in their comments to Eric Branch of SFGate.com.

“It’s a tough loss for us,” said wideout Anquan Boldin. “Aldon’s a great football player and it’s tough to replace someone like that … As a team, we have to move forward. We have no choice. And I think we’ll get over it. We’ve got some guys behind him that are capable of getting the job done.

“I think everybody was shocked. I wasn’t here the entire offseason, but from what I’ve gathered he’s worked his butt off. And it looked that way when I got here. So I think it was just a shock to everybody.”

Let’s check out some more reactions to Smith’s arrest and subsequent release…

  • The 49ers deliberately protected themselves when they restructured Smith’s contract in March, writes Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com. The writer reports that the team had previously considered releasing the embattled player, and they were leaning towards not picking up his fifth-year option for 2015. When the sides restructured, Smith signed a deal that would only guarantee his salary if he was on the roster for the whole season. “It wasn’t like they said, ‘If you don’t do this, you’re cut,’” said Doug Hendrickson, one of Smith’s representatives. “The thought behind it is that Aldon realizes he’s been his own worst enemy. He has come a long way since he was suspended. Ultimately his goal, my goal, and the team’s goal is for him to sign a long-term contract with the Niners.”
  • Smith was “poised for a revival,” says Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, and the writer believes coach Jim Tomsula‘s comments following the linebacker’s release echoed that sentiment. “You saw a man fighting and working and trying, and I think, to a man in this building, and you’ve been to practice to watch him, the energy about him,” Tomsula said. “Once again, real life. Everybody has struggles – they’re just in different ways.”
  • Despite the Raiders‘ clear need for a pass-rushing defender, Steve Corkran of Raiderbeat.com doesn’t believe the team should pursue Smith. While the team is in “dire” need of an impact defender, Corkran says the embattled linebacker “isn’t worth the trouble.”
  • Smith’s issues are a reminder of what Broncos linebacker Von Miller could have become, writes Mike Klis of 9News in Denver. Both players were 2011 first-round picks, and they both battled substance abuse issues earlier in their careers. However, Miller has managed to stay clean over the past couple of seasons. “He was there for me and I’m going to be there for him—wherever that may be,” Miller said. “He’s just going through a tough patch right now. We all go through a tough patch. I have full confidence that he will be able to get out of it. We’ll see the same Aldon Smith that we saw his first two years in the league. It’s just tough right now. People go through tough times. I’ll be the first one to tell you. I’ve been through a lot of stuff and I’m going to be there for him however long it is to get him back right.”

Aldon Smith Free To Sign With Any Team

August 7th, 2015 at 6:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

After being cut by the 49ers earlier today, Aldon Smith‘s release has become official and he is now free to sign with any team, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter).

While his notice of termination of vested veteran has hit the NFL waiver wire, it would be naive to think he will sign with a new team immediately. As transcendent of a talent as he is, last night’s arrest is only the most recent in a long list of off-the-field issues he has had since being drafted in 2011.

The NFL has been very forgiving in the past. Only four days after Junior Gallette’s off-the-field issues became too much for the Saints to handle, Washington swooped in and signed the troubled pass rusher.

Gallette’s most recent controversies weren’t so close in the rearview mirror, and NFL team’s will likely let Smith’s most recent arrest play out until more information is had before any considers bringing him into their organization. The details so far have been condemning of Smith, who was arrested for driving under the influence, hit and run, and vandalism, according to the press release from the Santa Clara Police Department.

Smith’s 44 career sacks leaves him as the 49ers fifth all-time sack leader, despite only playing four seasons and appearing in only 50 games. His 19.5 sacks in 2012 is tied for 12th all-time in a single season in NFL history, and only three behind Michael Strahan’s record 22.5 in 2001. Talent like that will almost always find a second chance in the league.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reached out to a number of general managers around the league, and writes that none seem ready to make a move to bring Smith into their organization at this point (via Twitter).

Mortensen notes that some of those decision makers have taken risks with players before, but with the NFL still investigating, none would be jumping to take a risk on Smith. He will assuredly serve a suspension before suiting up in a game with whoever signs him next, which further diminishes his value..

49ers Cut Aldon Smith

August 7th, 2015 at 1:44pm CST by Luke Adams

1:44pm: The 49ers have officially confirmed Smith’s release. The team issued the following statement:

“This organization has tried very hard to help Aldon fight his issues. Although he is no longer a member of this team, our support and concern for him will continue.”Aldon Smith

1:33pm: Aldon Smith‘s latest off-field incident will be his last as a member of the 49ers. According to Jim Trotter of ESPN (via Twitter), the Niners have decided to release Smith following his arrest in Santa Clara late Thursday night. Per Mike Loyko (Twitter link), Trotter said on ESPN that the team made the decision after Smith met with GM Trent Baalke and refused to accept responsibility.

Smith, 25, was arrested by Santa Clara police on hit and run, DUI, and vandalism charges, though when he was released from jail this morning, the outside linebacker disputed the fact that he had been driving under the influence. The incident is the latest in a series of off-field run-ins for Smith, who has had DUI arrests in the past, and missed nearly half the 49ers’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014.

When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, Smith recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 as a starter in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team. However, his off-field issues have limited his production since then.

Baalke spoke earlier this week about wanting to lock up Smith beyond the 2015 season, but a new deal for the linebacker would have been contingent on him staying out of trouble. The Niners protected themselves in the offseason by renegotiating Smith’s contract to convert most of his base salary into per-game roster bonuses and incentives. Now that he has been cut, the former seventh overall pick won’t have a chance to earn that bonus money.

By releasing Smith, the 49ers will create in the neighborhood of $3MM in cap room, leaving just $1.6MM in dead money on their cap. Had the team not reworked the linebacker’s deal, he would’ve been on San Francisco’s books for a guaranteed $9.754MM, so the club’s foresight paid off.

The 49ers’ defense has already taken several hits this offseason, making Smith’s absence the latest blow to an increasingly depleted unit. The team saw cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox depart in free agency, while defensive end Justin Smith and linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland all decided to retire.

With Smith no longer in the mix, Ahmad Brooks, Aaron Lynch, and third-round rookie Eli Harold will be leaned on more heavily in San Francisco. The club also signed free agent linebacker Steve Beauharnais, who recently worked out for both the Niners and the Colts, to take Smith’s spot on the 90-man roster, tweets John Middlekauff of 95.7 The Game. However, Beauharnais is more of an inside linebacker, and may not crack the team’s Week 1 roster.

As for Smith, after missing nine games last season due to a suspension, he’s now under review for further discipline from the NFL, a league source confirms to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). We recently saw Junior Galette, another talented pass rusher with off-field red flags, catch on with a new team shortly after being released by his old team, but Smith may not find a new job as quickly, as one general manager tells Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report (Twitter links).

“For now, not touching him,” the GM said in a text message to Freeman. “No one will for the moment. Every team will wait and see … We won’t see Aldon Smith in an NFL uniform until next season.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

49ers’ Aldon Smith Arrested

August 7th, 2015 at 11:09am CST by Luke Adams

11:09am: After getting out of jail this morning, Smith told KTVU (YouTube link) that “this wasn’t a DUI” and “the truth will come out,” while apologizing to fans. Meanwhile, 49ers CEO Jed York tells Michael Silver (Twitter link) that the team hasn’t yet made any decisions on Smith.

9:58am: 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith has run into more off-field trouble, according to Matt Keller of ABC7 News, who reports (via Twitter) that Smith was arrested and booked by Santa Clara Police last night. The Santa Clara PD confirmed Smith’s arrest, tweeting that he was charged with hit and run, DUI, and vandalism.

Smith, 25, has had his share of legal run-ins in the past, including multiple DUI arrests. The linebacker has missed nearly half the 49ers’ games over the last two seasons after entering a rehabilitation facility in 2013 and serving a nine-game suspension in 2014. Given the nature of his latest violation, Smith may be facing another suspension, either from the team or the league. Repeated arrests cost Ray McDonald his spot on the Niners’ roster last season, so Smith’s spot on the team may also be in jeopardy.

The timing of the incident is unfortunate for the 49ers, whose GM – Trent Baalke – spoke earlier this week about wanting to lock up Smith beyond the 2015 season. Instead, the club may consider parting ways with Smith, since his cap hit wouldn’t be exorbitant. The former seventh overall pick agreed to restructure his contract during the offseason, converting most of his base salary to per-game roster bonuses. Smith can earn up to $9.754MM via bonuses and incentives, but the Niners would only have to eat $1.6MM if they were to release him.

When he’s healthy and on the field, Smith can be one of the league’s most effective pass rushers, as he exhibited during his first two years in the NFL. As a part-time player in his rookie season, Smith recorded 14 sacks, and he piled up another 19.5 in 2012, en route to a spot on the All-Pro first team. However, his off-field issues have limited his production since then.

The 49ers’ defense has already taken several hits this offseason, so Smith’s absence – if he’s cut or suspended – would be the latest blow to the increasingly depleted unit. The club saw cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox depart in free agency, while defensive end Justin Smith and linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland all decided to retire.

49ers Aim To Keep Aldon Smith, Vernon Davis

August 5th, 2015 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The 49ers had something of an exodus of long-tenured players this offseason, with stalwarts like Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and Anthony Davis announcing their retirements, while other veterans like Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati found new homes in free agency. However, there are still several longtime Niners who don’t appear to going anywhere anytime soon.

As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com details, GM Trent Baalke wants to keep a couple of those veteran 49ers beyond 2015, telling reporters that he hopes to lock up outside linebacker Aldon Smith and tight end Vernon Davis. Both players are entering contract years and will be eligible for free agency in 2016 if they don’t sign extensions.

“He’s poised to have a very good year,” Baalke said of Smith, who reworked his contract with the team earlier in the offeason. “We expect him to have a very good year. I think he expects himself to have a very good year. We’re going to work hard to make sure that he remains here.”

As for Davis, the tight end who has been in San Francisco since 2006 is coming off perhaps his worst season with the team, setting or matching career-worst marks by totaling just 245 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Still, Davis is just two years removed from a Pro Bowl season, and Baalke sounds confident that the 31-year-old still has multiple good years left in him. The GM also suggested that the team will explore extending Davis’ contract.

“We’re always going to try to keep our own,” Baalke said. “Sometimes it works. As you’ve seen, sometimes it doesn’t. But Vernon and I have had conversations and we’ll leave it at that. He understands where we are and we certainly understand where he is.”

In 2015, Smith will earn a base salary of just $1MM, but can make up to $9.754MM through bonuses and incentives, and figures to see a nice payday if he has a strong season. Davis, meanwhile, will earn a $4.35MM base salary this year, and won’t match that salary again if he doesn’t bounce back from his poor 2014 showing.

NFC Notes: Vikings, Saints, 49ers, Packers, Hill

August 1st, 2015 at 6:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

As we head into Saturday night, here’s the latest from around the NFC.

  • Panthers wideout Stephen Hill‘s bad week worsened Saturday in the form of a right leg injury that resulted in him being carted off the field, according to Steve Reed of the Associated Press. This comes a few days after his marijuana-related citation. Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer tweeted Hill’s status “doesn’t look good.” He has to be considered a longshot to play in North Carolina this season, considering what’s happened this week and the players residing ahead of the former second-round pick on the Panthers’ depth chart.
  • A starter at right tackle in Minnesota’s final five games last season, Mike Harris will receive the first crack at earning the Vikings‘ starting right guard job, coach Mike Zimmer confirmed to media (via Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune). Rookie T.J. Clemmings also figures to factor in there, but Harris has started 17 games since arriving in the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
  • Adrian Peterson‘s game-action drought will likely continue until the Vikings take the field for the regular season, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports. Although this means the running back’s time without having suited up for a game will last more than a year, with the Vikings’ opener coming Sept. 14, Peterson hasn’t carried the ball in a preseason game since 2011.
  • Saints coach Sean Payton was not surprised by the suspension given to tight end Orson Charles‘ one-game suspension for a road-rage incident, telling media (including NOLA.com’s Evan Woodberry), “We were on top of all of that. None of that was a surprise, “Payton said. “He’s been very forthright in communicating. He’s been very open with the league and with ourselves.” Charles has started six games in three seasons, each coming with the Bengals as a rookie in 2012.
  • As part of his reworked contract, fifth-year 49er Aldon Smith collected a $300K roster bonus Saturday. The perpetually afoul-with-the-league linebacker’s earned $800K in bonuses since April 1, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
  • Sean Richardson‘s eventful offseason continued Saturday, with the safety receiving a $200K bonus for being on the roster on the third day of Packers training camp, per ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky (via Twitter). The Packers matched the Raiders’ $2.55MM contract offer and kept Richardson in Green Bay for another season.

West Notes: Mathis, J. Houston, Raiders, Cards

June 13th, 2015 at 6:45pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look at the latest from the NFL’s two West-based divisions:

  • Veteran guard Evan Mathis, whom the Eagles released earlier this week, is expected to draw plenty of interest from around the NFL. One team that won’t go after him is the Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Adam Teicher, who notes that they’re loaded with guards and lack the cap space to pursue a high-profile player like Mathis. 
  • In other Chiefs news, star linebacker Justin Houston is without a contract after leading the league last year with a whopping 22 sacks. One major sticking point in whether he and the Chiefs can reach a deal will come down to the comparable contracts the two sides use with respect to both yearly salary and guaranteed money, tweets ESPN’s Lou Riddick. The Packers’ Clay Matthews leads all 3-4 OLBs in both total contract value ($66MM) and average annual value ($13.2MM). In the event Houston signs Kansas City’s franchise tender, he’ll make just under $13.2MM in 2015.
  • Raiders rookie defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., a second-round pick out of Florida State, has made a positive impression on the team so far. “He’s had a great start to his rookie year,” head coach Jack Del Rio said, per Scott Bair of CSNCaliornia (via Twitter). Bair notes that Edwards has gotten plenty of first-team reps, having been used as both an end and a tackle.
  • 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was among the league’s most dominant defenders during the first three years of his career, amassing a prodigious 42 sacks in 43 regular-season games. Smith’s numbers declined last season, though, as he finished with just two sacks in seven games. However, Smith has been outstanding under new defensive coordinator Eric Mangini, according to Joe Fann of the 49ers’ official website, and is looking to return to his 2011-13 form. “I don’t think I played to my level, and I want to do everything it takes to play consistently at my level,” Smith said. “I know that when I’m playing consistently and I’m on my game, I can’t be stopped.”
  • This year’s Cardinals could be the deepest they’ve been in a while and are built to make a run at Super Bowl contention, writes Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic. The club has so much quality depth that Cards general manager Steve Keim is shopping their fringe players around the league instead of looking to release them outright, per Bickley.

NFC Notes: A. Smith, Hardy, R. Mathis

June 1st, 2015 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

As we turn the calendar to June, let’s check out a few Monday morning items from across the NFC, starting with a contract update out of San Francisco….

  • After restructuring his contract earlier this offseason, 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith is in line for a $200K roster bonus today, tweets Field Yates of ESPN.com.
  • Greg Hardy had a run-in with fellow defensive lineman Davon Coleman during a Cowboys’ practice in April, but the reviews on the former Panther have all been positive since then, writes Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. With players, coaches, and executives alike all praising Hardy, it doesn’t appear the Cowboys will have the same sort of buyers’ remorse the Bears did with Ray McDonald.
  • Lions cornerback Rashean Mathis has been telling people that his current two-year contract will likely be his last NFL deal, but that isn’t a sure thing — coaches have told him he could extend his career at safety, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links).
  • With June 1 having arrived, Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com takes a look at whether the time has come for the Cowboys to address Brandon Carr‘s contract.
  • In his latest Monday Morning Quarterback column, Peter King of TheMMQB.com addresses the Adrian Peterson/Vikings standoff, the challenge that new Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is facing, and several other topics from around the league.
  • Panthers wideout and return man Philly Brown will go by his given name, Corey Brown, during his second year in Carolina, as Pat James of the Charlotte Observer writes.

NFC Notes: Bears, 49ers, Saints, Falcons

May 9th, 2015 at 10:06pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

New Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio believes 33-year-old Jared Allen, who’s shifting from 4-3 defensive end to 3-4 outside linebacker, could be in line for a career renaissance.

“Like I told him, I think he can have a rebirth to his career here playing a little bit of a new position,” said Fangio, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. “But in the NFL today, you play more nickel than you actually play base. For some teams they play nickel 65 to 75 percent of the time. He’ll be playing his normal position then. So it’s not as drastic of a change as you might think.”

More production from Allen would be a welcome sight for Chicago, which had the third-worst defense in the NFL in 2014. Allen finished with just 5.5 sacks, the lowest total of an 11-year career that has seen him take down opposing quarterbacks 134 times.

Fangio is similarly hopeful about one of Allen’s fellow linebackers, Shea McClellin, adjusting well to his defense. McClellin, a 2012 first-round pick, has a meager 7.5 sacks during his first three seasons. Those years were spent shifting between defensive end and outside linebacker in the Bears’ previous 4-3 scheme. The 25-year-old will move to the inside of the linebacking corps as part of Fangio’s 3-4.

“I think he has a chance to be a good inside linebacker,” said Fangio. “We’re going to give him a full opportunity here and a full chance to learn the position so we can evaluate him and see if that’s a good spot for him.”

Here’s more from around the NFC:

  • The 49ers’ defense lost multiple key elements during a chaotic offseason. Star linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland both retired, while defensive lineman Justin Smith is contemplating joining them. One important returning face is linebacker Aldon Smith, who’s ready to become the leader of their defense in a contract year. “It’s a role I’m comfortable with,” Smith said, according to CSNBayArea.com. “Obviously, losing guys who were here … someone steps up. And it’s something I have no problem doing.” Smith has a whopping 44 sacks in 50 regular-season games, but the four-year veteran’s career has been beset by off-field issues.
  • The Saints are expected to feel the loss of elite tight end Jimmy Graham, whom they traded to the Seahawks earlier this offseason, but Mike Triplett of ESPN.com notes that the team’s offense might not drop off as drastically as some think. The Saints have fielded a top six offense every year during the Sean Payton–Drew Brees era, leading the league three times in yardage before Graham even got to New Orleans. In terms of weaponry, Triplett believes the additions of running back C.J. Spiller and wide receiver Brandin Cooks could help make up for the loss of Graham.
  • Falcons superstar wide receiver Julio Jones is in line for a big contract extension, but there hasn’t been much progress on getting a new deal done. General manager Thomas Dimitroff didn’t provide an update on Jones’ situation on Saturday, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN (via Twitter).
  • Randy Gregory, the Cowboys’ newly drafted pass rusher, is off to a good start at the team’s rookie camp. The second-round pick looked like more than just a speed rusher Saturday, showing off an array of moves and netting a would-be sack, writes Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com

Rob DiRe contributed to this post. 

NFC West Notes: Williams, Cards, 49ers

March 6th, 2015 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent cornerback Cary Williams visited the Seahawks yesterday, and was “blown away,” according to agent Harold Lewis. Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) quotes Williams’ agent as saying the former Eagles was “very impressed” with Seattle’s pitch, though the corner will still continue on with his other visits, including the Jets and Titans.

As we wait to see where Williams land, let’s check in on a few other items from out of the NFC West….

  • Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com reported earlier today that he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Falcons and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon reach an agreement on a new deal soon. However, if the two sides can’t finalize anything, expect the Cardinals to be waiting with their arms “wide open,” tweets McClure.
  • Besides Weatherspoon, Stefen Wisniewski and A.Q. Shipley are a couple players expected to draw interest from the Cardinals, according to Mike Jurecki of Fox Sports 910 in Arizona (via Twitter). The Cards are looking for potential upgrades on the interior offensive line, and both Wisniewski and Shipley look poised to become unrestricted free agents.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap attempts to make sense of the motives for the 49ers and Aldon Smith, following reports of Smith’s contract restructure.
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