The Oakland Raiders already have one of the most talented young rosters in the league, keyed by a front seven that includes stars Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. But what’s amazing is that Oakland also has a pass-rusher on the roster who once recorded 33.5 sacks in a two-season span.
Sure, Aldon Smith has been suspended the majority of the games his teams have played since that epic two-season stretch to start his career and in 2011 and 2012, but he’s still been able to accumulate 14 sacks in 27 games during that span. And sure, Smith will continue to serve a yearlong suspension until November, but the fact is the guy has the ability to shine bright.
That’s why the Raiders finally re-signed him this week. They must know that there’s a chance Smith will continue to cause problems off the field, in which case they’ll likely wash their hands of him and take the financial hit. But they also know that there’s a chance he is finally waking up at the age of 26.
And if that’s the case, he could be the type of player who could put Oakland over the top in time for the stretch run in 2016.
Smith, after all, had more sacks in his first two seasons than anyone else in NFL history. As a situational rusher with Mack and Irvin up front and Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson supporting him in the secondary, the man could explode in Oakland.
