Aldon Smith is now officially back. After being reinstated, as was clearly expected when Dallas signed him, he’s ready to go for the beginning of virtual OTAs. The question is how will it all work. We cover it all from the weight gain to the wait-and-see.
When Aldon Smith was first signed to the Dallas Cowboys, the initial reaction from most observers was one of shock, as he had completely fallen off the radar for most fans. Rotoworld listed 54 different edge rushers in their annual free agency tracker, and Smith was nowhere to be found for good reason. Smith hasn’t been part of a team since the 2018 and hasn’t appeared in a game since 2015, so it’s no wonder that most felt his career had gone the way of other self-destructive cases of similar nature.
Smith battled demons that included alcohol abuse and drugs, and dealt with a series of arrests and subsequent suspensions that saw what was once one of the most promising careers in the NFL spiral out of control. However on April 1, 2020, the Cowboys signed Smith to a one-year low-risk deal, as it was reported he had spent the last several years being rehabilitated. On May 9 it was revealed he had met with commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss his reinstatement and 11 days later it has become a reality; Smith is back.
So what does it all mean for the Cowboys? Here’s a look at several interest points to ponder about how Smith could impact the Cowboys and factors that will go into whether he becomes one himself.
Years Off From the Game
The time away from football is clearly going to be the biggest factor in what, if any at all, Smith can contribute to the 2020 Dallas Cowboys. Regardless of his being in a good mental space and renewed physical condition (more on that in a second), football is not normally a sport that is kind to men who get out of football shape, even for just one season. For four? That’s going to be a tall task for Smith.
That absence from the game is further amplified by the fact that he isn’t able to work directly with the Cowboys strength and conditioning team. In a normal year, Smith would right now be working directly with Markus Paul and his staff at The Star, trying to on a full diet of a football regiment. But with the stay-at-home orders in place around the country – even though they are lifted in Texas – players are not allowed back at the team facility.
Without the pandemic, Smith would certainly be working with top-flight trainers with NFL experience, but most players interviewed during the last few months have spoken about having to go out to Walmart and buy their own weight sets. With four years of inactivity and a truncated offseason, it has to be a concern whether or not Smith can be a contributing factor through the first phases of the 2020 season.
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