Raiders release Sean Smith, who faces jail time
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Raiders have released Sean Smith from a four-year contract, a source said Monday morning.
His next pact reportedly involves one year in jail and three years on probation.
The Raiders made the long expected move Monday to release Smith, who signed a four-year, $38 million contract in 2016. He was due an $8.25 million salary this season. According to the LA Times, he won’t be on the field this year at all, as Smith is set to plead guilty to a felony assault charge tied to the beating of his sister’s then-boyfriend last July in the Pasadena area of Los Angeles.
Smith, 30, initially entered a not guilty plea to felony assault and battery charges. He was able to continue play with the Raiders, his legal matter not resulting in any time missed aside from the occasional practice day. He produced well when called upon in 2017, although his assigned role often did not reflect his high salary.
The LA Times reported that his plea agreement will be entered Tuesday.
The Raiders now have moved on from Smith and David Amerson this offseason. Both cornerbacks signed lucrative contracts in 2016. The team plans to move forward with Gareon Conley, a 2017 first-round pick, as a key part of their secondary. Many holes in it, however, remain. Starting cornerback TJ Carrie and safety Reggie Nelson are both scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on Wednesday.
Carrie is believed a higher priority to re-sign, although there is some question as to whether the Raiders’ interest will match that from other teams on the open market.
At 9 a.m. Monday, NFL teams became eligible to begin negotiating with other teams’ impending free agents. No deal can be finalized until free agency starts Wednesday at 1 p.m.
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Contact reporter Michael Gehlken at mgehlken@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GehlkenNFL on Twitter.
