Aldon Smith Done In San Francisco?

It seems like we have covered a San Francisco 49ers story every single day on Sportsnaut over the past two weeks. Finally Tuesday, we were able to actually report on-field news as Brandon Lloyd agreed to a one-year contract with the team. As quick as one day turns into the next, we are right back at the drawing board…covering off-field news for now perennial Super Bowl contenders. 

After being arrested on false bomb threat charges at Los Angeles International Airport this past weekend, linebacker Aldon Smith has found himself in the news for the wrong reasons. Again. This arrest came less than 48 hours after Smith was in court to face charges of driving under the influence in San Jose, California during the early part of the 2013 season. That incident forced Smith into alcohol rehabilitation, a stint that caused him to miss five games.

Unlike in each previous incident during Smith’s career in San Francisco, the organization seems to be separating itself from the talented but enigmatic pass rusher.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News filed a report earlier this week that concluded Smith is unlikely to suit up for the 49ers next season…

My view, after talking to several sources involved with the 49ers’ decision-making, is that troubled linebacker Aldon Smith hasn’t only lost the benefit of the doubt, he probably won’t play for the 49ers in 2014.

Now that might be conjecture on the scribe’s part, but the conclusion he’s drawing here is after speaking to multiple sources “involved with the 49ers’ decision-making process.” That’s important to note, simply because there is a basis for his conclusion. Anyone who has ever filed a similar report knows full well how to word it right in order to avoid coming off like he/she is reporting information directly from a source.

Simply put, Kawakami knows more than he is letting on.

Then you have Smith’s contract option for the 2015 season, which needs to either be picked up or declined early next month. A lot of different variables go into that, but reports are that it’s unlikely the 49ers are going to pick up that $9.7 million option. That would make Smith a free agent following this upcoming season.

Read between the lines. Speculation based on sources indicates Smith might not play in 2014. The 49ers are unlikely to pick up his 2015 contract option.

Is it possible that the star linebacker has actually played his last game for San Francisco?

The 49ers don’t have any plans to release him outright. He’s on the books for $3 million guaranteed, so doing that makes very little business sense, at least until the legal process plays out. They could decide to make a statement to the rest of the team that no one is immune to being shown the door. While that’s fine and dandy from a morality and ethics standpoint, his contract doesn’t make that all too likely right now.

Whether San Francisco decides to cut ties with Smith outright likely doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.

Mike Freeman over at Bleacher Report indicated the following on Wednesday…

The NFL is paying very, very close attention to this. They are very disturbed by this. I’ve talked to some league officials who say that basically their plan is to see what the Niners do and see how this plays out. But if this actually happened, Aldon Smith is in trouble with the league. The league really wants to send a message and take a stand here. They’ve done this before.

San Francisco’s internal response to Smith’s most recent off-field incident may be telling. It could very well make a statement by eating Smith’s $3 million salary and ridding itself of what has become a major off-field distraction.

Even some of those who supported Smith in the past seem to be losing patience.

According to a source within the 49ers organization, Smith might have already crossed the Rubicon and the team may be fully prepared to move on from him. This comes less than a month before the 2014 NFL draft. In addition to boasting six picks in the first three rounds, the 49ers have a solid in-house candidate to replace Smith in the form of Corey Lemonier.

It is my personal opinion that San Francisco needs to cut ties with Smith right now and not wait for the league to step in. He’s a black eye for the organization and continues to let down both his teammates and the community he is supposed to represent.

In reality, Smith isn’t the backbone of San Francisco’s defense. That distinction goes to Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. This is evidenced by the fact that San Francisco went 5-0 with Smith out of the lineup last season, yielding just an average of 12.2 points per game during that span. If Smith is suspended following a potential release, the 49ers can recoup the $3 million under the new collective bargaining agreement. Does anyone here realistically expect him to escape the wrath of the league? I didn’t think so.

While the 49ers have most definitely been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently, they can make a stand and indicate to the rest of the league and to their fans that they’re not going to sit back and utilize a win-at-all-cost mentality that has impacted other teams around the NFL for far too long. In fact, they might owe it to the fan base, the community, the city they’re supposed to represent and those players who came before in the heralded history of the franchise.

That’s how you show yourself to be “above reproach,” no matter which way you decide to spin that term.

 

Photo: Rob Foldy, USA Today