Cowboys parting ways with Aldon Smith after strong 2020

The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly let veteran pass-rusher Aldon Smith know that they won’t be bringing him back to the team next season. 

For veteran pass-rusher Aldon Smith, his time with the Dallas Cowboys has already come to an end. After not appearing in an NFL game since 2015 due to several suspensions, Smith signed with Dallas and earned his second shot back in the league.

According to ESPN’s Ed Werder, the team has informed Smith that while he was productive in his first year back, the front office has decided to move in a different direction moving forward. Now, Smith is all set to enter free agency and look for a new home.

Pass-rusher Aldon Smith won’t be returning to the Dallas Cowboys next season

This past season, the defensive end started all 16 games for the Cowboys and really impressed with his strong play. The 6-foot-5, 255-pounder finished the campaign with five sacks, 49 total tackles and two fumble recoveries.

Again, this was his first action since 2015. Due to suspensions, Smith was out of football from 2016-2019. He was an absolute force to start off his career with the San Francisco 49ers, blowing up defensively from 2011-2014 with the team. In 2012, he earned First Team All-Pro honors after posting a ridiculous 19.5 sacks.

Smith spent one season with the Raiders in 2015. Nine games into play that year, he was suspended by the NFL for one year for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. After that, off-the-field issues continued to haunt Smith, highlighted by multiple arrests.

He worked tirelessly to get his life back on track, though, earning an opportunity to prove he’s still got plenty left in the tank with Dallas in 2020. Now, he’ll hope another team out there is ready to take a chance on him as well for 2021.