The Aldon Smith experiment in Dallas won’t have a second phase. The former All-Pro defensive end and free agent is heading to the Pacific Northwest as he’s signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks. The financial details of the deal have yet to be disclosed, though it is being reported in some circles that the parameters of the deal will not result in him being a part of the Cowboys’ compensatory formula.
Smith started guns blazing with the Cowboys in 2020 after a five-year hiatus, notching a sack in his first game back. Smith racked up three sacks against, ironically, the Seahawks in Week 3, giving him the league lead in that category at the time. That was his last major splash as he only amassed one sack for the rest of the season.
The former first-round pick finished with 48 tackles (second-most of his career), five sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Although his play fizzled out as the year progressed many felt he did enough to get another contract with the Cowboys. However, reports surfaced that the organization was moving on from him, but head coach Mike McCarthy had a different feeling about the situation.
During his first press conference since the 2020 season ended which was only days after the news broke that the Cowboys were moving on from Smith, McCarthy dropped this bomb.
“First off, Aldon Smith, that’s still fluid,” McCarthy said. “I personally haven’t moved on. I was in a conversation yesterday about Aldon, so we’ll see how that works out moving forward.”
McCarthy can focus his attention elsewhere now as the Smith situation has been put to bed permanently. Smith’s departure will create an opportunity for a significant increase in snaps for Randy Gregory who looked good in 2020 after nearly two years away from the playing field.
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