Raiders sign ALDON SMITH

[benchmobbin02]

Yeah, except for the fact they had no problem suspending other FAs for other things in the meantime. Jonathan Dwyer is the name that sticks out for me.

I wouldnt expect him to play Sunday unless the Raiders file an injunction, but I doubt they will

Well obviously everyone believes Aldon will be suspended for some number of games this season, the question is how many? So in that sense the timing doesn't really matter does it? Frankly I wouldn't be surprised if he were put on the commissioner's exempt list today.

The Brady appeal of course does shine a different light on the process by which players are suspended. The League is not going to sit on its hands and let Aldon go unpunished though.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13610909/brandon-spikes-five-free-agents-suspended

I think its' very possible that the DUI will get dropped and the hit and run maybe dropped as well. due to complications in the case that a good lawyer can take advantage of. He may be looking at just the vandalism. Even if the hit and run stands the facts of the case will be considered. It wasn't like he rear ended someone on the street and drove away. he clipped a parked car in his apartment complex. We don't know the facts about exactly what happened from then on so i won't assume on the that part but this is much less than a other hit and runs.

Above is a link to proof that the NFL has suspended guys that are FAs and Spikes was actually for hit and run and he admitted negligent operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of personal injury, operating an uninsured vehicle, speeding and a marked-lanes violation. 3 people were also injured in the accident and Spikes left long enough for his blood acl level to go down. These are all things the NFL would consider in his suspension and they gave him 4 games. He only plead guilty to a hit-and-run crash that injured three people.

So if the NFL follows precedent for the offense 2-3 games is right for the lesser hit and run. Then you have to add that he has been been in trouble before. Spikes has also been suspended before. I can see 6-8 games for Smith.

That's interesting that contract tolls over so if I'm wrong and he is gone for all season then we still have him for next year. I don't think that will be the case tho.

[FNQ]

That was <6 months after his probation was issued, which is a standard testing window.

But again, if he's getting arrested for a DUI and its against his probation to drink, that's open and shut, he violated probation. Have you heard ANYTHING about that?

Again twink: contracts ROLLS OVER if he's suspended all year. No Aldon Smith this year = he's on a 1yr 8m contract next year. So barring something stupid on his part, Aldon Smith will play snaps as an Oakland Raider.

[FNQ]

also FTR, a 2nd DUI is an 8 game suspension in the books. But I do believe that's pending a conviction, not a charge.

[Twinkie defense]

BTW as far as I'm concerned, even if Aldon never plays a snap for the Raiders it's a low-risk move - basically some money (that they have to spend anyway) and he bumps the #53 guy on the roster. The Raiders not being smart enough to avoid wasting their time bringing in someone who's not going to play at all this season is not really a concern.

[FNQ]

Ed Werder: Aldon impresses coaches, will play on Sunday if NFL allows it

[Twinkie defense]

That was <6 months after his probation was issued, which is a standard testing window.

But again, if he's getting arrested for a DUI and its against his probation to drink, that's open and shut, he violated probation. Have you heard ANYTHING about that?

Again twink: contracts ROLLS OVER if he's suspended all year. No Aldon Smith this year = he's on a 1yr 8m contract next year. So barring something stupid on his part, Aldon Smith will play snaps as an Oakland Raider.

If he is suspended for 16 games (or let's say 15, assuming the League might not do anything by Sunday), I am not aware that his contract would roll over. Or that it wouldn't. I would assume it would not but if you know for a fact that it rolls over, then great. But again I don't think it's a waste of time even if he never suits up. Even if it didn't roll over they still would have the ability to re-sign him (barring more trouble), the only issue would be for how much - and Raiders need to find some people to spend money on, they are in danger of getting stuck below League minimum salary.

Re. his probation, IDK and really, I don't care. I think the simple fact he's drinking and getting in the news again for these alcohol-related issues is enough for the League to come down pretty hard.

[FNQ]

That was <6 months after his probation was issued, which is a standard testing window.

But again, if he's getting arrested for a DUI and its against his probation to drink, that's open and shut, he violated probation. Have you heard ANYTHING about that?

Again twink: contracts ROLLS OVER if he's suspended all year. No Aldon Smith this year = he's on a 1yr 8m contract next year. So barring something stupid on his part, Aldon Smith will play snaps as an Oakland Raider.

If he is suspended for 16 games (or let's say 15, assuming the League might not do anything by Sunday), I am not aware that his contract would roll over. Or that it wouldn't. I would assume it would not but if you know for a fact that it rolls over, then great. But again I don't think it's a waste of time even if he never suits up. Even if it didn't roll over they still would have the ability to re-sign him (barring more trouble), the only issue would be for how much - and Raiders need to find some people to spend money on, they are in danger of getting stuck below League minimum salary.

Re. his probation, IDK and really, I don't care. I think the simple fact he's drinking and getting in the news again for these alcohol-related issues is enough for the League to come down pretty hard.

I believe a contract tolls after 6 weeks of playing, IIRC from the Vincent Jackson holdout and Josh Gordon suspension. But..

[tweet]https://twitter.com/adbrandt/status/642432211866808320[/tweet]

Disagree about the league. While they will come down, they've effectively gone rogue too many times and have lost 5 (!!!) consecutive court cases. The last thing they want is to lose another, so whatever they decide on will have to be measured and comparative to other leagues, and other cases in the NFL. I think 8 is fair, but I also think they won't rule on this for a while. They might get away with putting Aldon on exempt list, but that too tolls a contract

[Twinkie defense]

From a Niners blog, before he was released:

And then of course, there is the potential NFL suspension. He served a nine-game suspension last year for a combination of his DUI and gun charges. Barring something unforeseen, Smith could potentially be facing at least a year-long suspension, and possibly longer. Again, he has not been convicted of anything, but that does not matter in the NFL's eyes. And in this instance where he is a repeat offender, I can't imagine anybody is going to defend Smith against a lengthier suspension.

The most important thing though might be the potential for jail time. Smith was given three years probation a year ago when he settled his legal issues. That probation included no alcohol. A conviction on these charges would seemingly violate his probation. If the DA's office was so inclined, they could really throw the book at Smith and give him some serious jail time.

So, by this report at least, Aldon is currently still under probation from the incidents that precipitated his nine-game suspension last season. Obviously if Aldon and his agent are so insistent on claiming he was not drinking with Ray McDonald and he's passed all of his League-mandated alcohol tests, just getting caught with a bottle is something they are very concerned about.

I follow the Niners almost as closely as the Raiders, and have been paying attention to their player off-field transgressions (my least-favorite transgressor is Perrish Cox - he's a real scumbag, and is still on the Niners roster). That's why I'm just waiting for the hammer to fall - it's not a case of if, but when.

[FNQ]

While a lot of details are unclear, I can promise this: were he under probation of no alcohol period, he would be in jail, no questions asked. A blog unfamiliar with the law doesn't really sway me on this - being in sports rehab, I unfortunately see many entitled athletes go through the same thing.

Because alcohol is legal, these types of things are usually brief periods, and can be shortened by passing classes. Usually ones at 9PM - 12AM midnight, where they take people to morgues, and show some pretty disturbing videos (think a heavier version of Red Asphalt).

[Twinkie defense]

My biggest problem with Aldon Smith is not that he's been involved in multiple drunk driving arrests - what bothers me is all the times he was drunk driving and DIDN'T get arrested because you know the times he was arrested are probably a fraction of the times he's driving drunk. Roll the dice enough times and sooner or later you're going to kill someone.

If under the terms of his probation Aldon wasn't allowed to touch alcohol for three years (no one has claimed those specific details - presumably the terms of probation could go through phases, IDK), I'd have to think he would not go to jail for that probation violation until the legal process ran its course - the law is a very different case than what your employer does as a result of the troubles you get into. But again it's not the legal ramifications that are of potential concern - I would bet however many games he could miss as a result of suspension represents a longer period of time than a jail sentence he would serve as a result of probation violation. The ultimate question is how many games can he play for the Raiders this season?

[Twinkie defense]

TK: "[Ronnie] Lott said Raiders defensive lineman Justin Tuck has become very good friends with Smith, shares an agent, has worked out with him, and was the key figure in bringing Smith to the Raiders."

[FNQ]

If Smith plays 3 games, his contract vests. If he doesn't, we have him inked for next year

[Twinkie defense]

That's great.


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[benchmobbin02]

[Twinkie defense]

A single emoji post, thanks for your contribution

[Neddy]

A single emoji post, thanks for your contribution

a single emoji post is worthless, but your two words post is worth a ton?


that's great....

[Twinkie defense]

Yeah Reg confirmed the details of how Aldon Smith's contract could roll over, depending on how many games he plays. That's good news for the Raiders.


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[Twinkie defense]

Some contract details from Field Marshal Yates & PFT:

"Smith’s deal with Oakland has a base salary of $1.25 million, a $250,000 roster bonus for each game he’s on the 53-man roster, an incentive payment of $1.375 million if he records eight sacks this season, and another $1.375 million if he gets to 10 sacks.

That’s a total maximum value of $8 million, which is a good deal for a guy many teams wouldn’t be willing to touch, given his repeated off-field problems. But the structure of that contract means a suspension would be doubly expensive for him: Not only would he lose one-seventeenth of his salary ($73,529) for any game he’s suspended, but he would also lose the $250,000 roster bonus for any game he’s suspended. So he’d lose $323,529 per game that he can’t play because of suspension."


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[FNQ]

OT: but screw Field Yates. On the 06010 podcast (a freakin fantastic podcast by Matthew Berry / Stephania Bell / formerly Nate Ravitz) Yates constantly makes sweeping generalizations about the football IQ of Raider fans and trashes us every chance he gets. And he is nowhere near as good as Ravitz was..

Anyways the money aspect for fans shouldn't be a concern. One year deal and we have a ton of cap still. We're on pins and needles about his suspension though..

[Twinkie defense]

He does? That arsehole.

Re. Smith's salary, I don't care, just interesting to see the details. Also, reports are he could have made more money (how much? IDK) signing elsewhere.

ESPN NFL Live surmises Aldon might be able to play a couple weeks, then be suspended for the rest if the season. If he only plays Sunday and helps the Raiders get the win that's enough in my book. I just don't see much downside in the signing. Of course one key variable, which no one can determine, is what impact the Brady ruling will have on future League discipline. The CBA gives the League a lot of leeway, they just have to make sure there is a logical process and not arbitrary and changing decrees.


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