Raiders sign ex-49er Aldon Smith to 1-year contract
The Oakland Raiders signed former San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith to a one-year contract Friday.
Smith chose to stay in the Bay Area after getting interest from the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Buccaneers and St. Louis Rams.
The troubled Smith, despite his off-the-field issues, will be eligible to play Sunday, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Smith practiced with the team Friday.
The 49ers released Smith on Aug. 7 after he was arrested the night before on hit-and-run, driving under the influence and vandalism charges in Santa Clara, Calif. It was Smith’s fifth arrest since 2012, and he could be subject to NFL discipline in the future, pending the judicial outcome of his latest incident.
Smith joins the Raiders after four seasons with the 49ers in which he totaled 44 sacks in 50 games. His career totals also include 192 tackles, five passes defensed, one interception and 5.5 sacks in eight career playoff games.
The 49ers’ first-round draft pick (seventh overall) in 2011, Smith was the runner-up in the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting after recording 14 sacks in his first season. In 2012, Smith was named to the Pro Bowl and selected for first-team All Pro honors after posting 19.5 sacks and his first career interception. He totaled 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons with San Francisco. In 2014, he had just 15 tackles and two sacks in seven games.
“Aldon is an extremely talented young player,” head coach Jack Del Rio said in a statement. “We welcome him to the Raiders family and expect him to bring his best every day and be a great teammate.”
Smith, 25, served a nine-game suspension last season for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy and substances of abuse. In 2013, he was suspended five games after a DUI arrest and voluntarily checked himself into a treatment facility.
Smith received a 12-day sentence and three years of probation in July after a no-contest plea to three felony weapons charges and two misdemeanor DUI charges. The weapons charges and one of the DUI charges were in connection to a 2012 party at Smith’s residence where he was stabbed.
“We are confident that the Raiders provide an environment where Aldon can thrive through the support, structure and leadership within the building,” general manager Reggie McKenzie said. “We are excited to have Aldon here in the Raiders family.”
To make room on the roster, the Raiders waived defensive end Lavar Edwards.
