Former 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith may have found his way back into the NFL. The Athletic’s Jay Glazer reported Smith is set to sign a one-year deal with the Cowboys after being out of the league since the 2015 season.
Smith was a first-round pick of the 49ers in the 2011 NFL draft and quickly made an impact on one of the NFL’s best defenses. His 33.5 sacks are the most ever for a player through two seasons.
He ran into off-field trouble with substance abuse that ultimately led to his release from San Francisco prior to the 2015 season. The Oakland Raiders signed him that year and he played just nine games before another suspension cut his season short. Smith hasn’t been in the NFL since.
Commissioner Roger Goodell has not yet reinstated Smith from his last suspension. His first attempt to return after his initial one-year ban was denied. The last time Smith made NFL headlines was when the Raiders officially cut him in 2018.
Now the Cowboys are giving Smith another chance, although there’s no indication he’s been reinstated. In nine games in 2015, Smith posted 3.5 sacks. He has 47.5 sacks in 59 games during his career. His lone Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods came during the 2012 season when he had a career-best 19.5 sacks.