There’s no denying that Aldon Smith is an elite NFL talent. Unfortunately, the off-field issues are quickly starting to outweigh the on-field benefits for the San Francisco 49ers, who have to believe that Smith is on his final chance with the team.
On Tuesday, Smith was reinstated by the NFL after serving a nine-game suspension stemming from numerous offseason transgressions. Between felony gun charges (which were dropped to misdemeanors), yelling bomb threats at an airport and numerous problems involving alcohol, it seemed like nine games wasn’t enough.
Still, Smith is back with the 49ers. This, however, will be his last opportunity to prove to the team that he’s a changed man, which may or may not be the case.
When Smith is on the field, he’s among the best in the business: combining elite athleticism with excellent burst and bend around the edge, he’s a quarterback’s nightmare and a key cog in the San Francisco defense.
However, his off-field issues have quickly turned him into a PR nightmare for the 49ers, who are already battling a public image problem with Ray McDonald’s legal issues (although he recently avoided domestic assault charges) and the drama in the locker room surrounding head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Put simply, if Smith can’t keep his head on straight and stay out of trouble, the 49ers may very well be forced to part ways.
As we saw during his absence, the 49ers have plenty of promising young outside linebackers just waiting for their names to be called. Rookie Aaron Lynch has proven to be quite the surprise, consistently making plays whenever he’s on the field. Sophomore Corey Lemonier has also shown some outstanding burst and ability to rush the passer, something the 49ers won’t want to keep on the sidelines too long.
So essentially, if Smith fails to keep his hands clean, the 49ers have options to fall back on. The only problem in terms of severing ties with Smith is the $9.75 million he’s due in 2015, but he’s a free agent in 2016, which could be the perfect opportunity for San Francisco to wash their hands of the troubled linebacker.
There’s no telling what will happen with Smith, who brings the biggest mix of talent and instability the NFL currently has to offer. If he slips up again, though, expect the 49ers to cut the cord.
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