Raiders' Aldon Smith, NFL arranging meeting to discuss potential reinstatement
The NFL and Aldon Smith’s representatives are making arrangements for a meeting between the suspended pass rusher and Commissioner Roger Goodell or another league official to discuss Smith's possible reinstatement, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Paste BN Sports on Monday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly the status of Smith, who has been banished indefinitely since last November for repeat violations of the collectively bargained substance abuse policy. NFL Media first reported the sides plan to meet.
Smith, 27, applied for reinstatement in October and was eligible to return last month. But the NFL has not acted on his reinstatement request and there is no deadline to do so. It’s unclear when the meeting – which isn’t required before Goodell makes a decision on reinstatement – could take place.
The Oakland Raiders re-signed Smith in April to a two-year contract that would pay him a prorated $1.25 million base salary this season, plus $250,000 for each game he’s active. They’re 10-2 without him and lead the AFC West, but their pass rush, tied for 27th in sacks per pass play entering Monday, has struggled.
Smith had 3 ½ sacks in nine games (seven starts) for Oakland last season before the league banished him. He recorded 35 ½ sacks in his first 37 NFL games (including playoffs) over the 2011 and ’12 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before a string of arrests, suspensions and stints in rehabilitation facilities sent his career sideways. The 49ers released him in September 2015 after his latest DUI arrest.
In recent months, Smith spent time in rehab near Denver, where he has continued to live and train while awaiting on decision from Goodell.
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