The Oakland Raiders would love to get pass rusher Aldon Smith back in action as they push towards the playoffs, and there is some hope that could actually happen.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith spent 120 days in a rehab facility in Carbondale, Colorado, after a video was posted on Periscope that appeared to show Smith rolling up a joint.
Per Schefter, the four-month stint in rehab has had a “profound impact” on Smith. This has led to “guarded optimism” within the Raiders organization that he will be reinstated and be allowed to play this year.
Smith recently applied for reinstatement and made it known that he will “be back in two weeks.”
Those two weeks have come and gone, but the NFL is set to respond to his reinstatement request this upcoming week, per the report.
When healthy in mind and body, there are few pass rushers in the NFL that can compare to Smith. Before his off-field problems became prevalent, Smith racked up 33.5 sacks in his first two seasons and 42 sacks in his first 43 games played.
The Raiders have stood by Smith the past year as he served his suspension. If he can stay out of trouble the rest of the season and comes back to the organization in good shape, then it’s not crazy to think Smith will have a profound impact on the field for Oakland, which currently is be the No. 2 seed in the AFC.