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Raiders take risk, sign LB Aldon Smith to one-year deal

By Cody Williams

December 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi
December 20, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith (99) during the fourth quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi /
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Aldon Smith has signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Raiders

Aldon Smith will be a member of the Oakland Raiders. After being released by the San Francisco 49ers in early August when Smith was arrested for a DUI for the third time in his NFL career, Smith weighed his options and now has inked a one-year contract with another team in Northern California in the Raiders:

If Smith can get on the field, it’s a fantastic move for the Raiders. In his four seasons in the NFL, Smith has accrued 44 sacks and established himself as one of the premier pass-rushers in the league. Pairing him with Khalil Mack would give Oakland an incredibly potent and young pass-rushing duo.

However, there are an inordinate amount of questions that come with signing Smith. There’s still a chance that the NFL will hand down a suspension for his latest arrest. Given that he was suspended for nine games last season in San Francisco for violating the NFL’s Policy on Personal Conduct and Substances of Abuse, you have to assume that a suspension for a DUI arrest is likely.

More than that, Smith admittedly has off-the-field issues with substance abuse that have persisted over the past few years. Until he gets those affairs in order, he’s not going to be of value to any team in the NFL.

This move is a high-upside risk for Oakland. If everything works out ideally, signing Smith could be another solid building block for a young, dangerous defense. However, there are numerous factors that you just can’t ignore when it comes to Smith and his current state of affairs. The next couple of weeks and any action from the NFL in terms of suspensions will certainly give us clarification whether this risk will pay off for the Raiders or not.

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