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Seattle Seahawks

Edge rusher Aldon Smith reportedly joining Seahawks on one-year contract

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Aldon Smith (58) reacts on the bench before an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J.   (Adam Hunger)
By Bob Condotta and Adam Jude Seattle Times

SEATTLE – Aldon Smith is back in the NFC West.

The Seahawks have signed the embattled edge rusher to a one-year contract, the NFL Network reported Thursday.

Smith, 31, was in town for a visit with the Seahawks on Wednesday.

Smith spent the 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys, his first season since being reinstated from a four-year suspension for various substance abuse-related issues. Among them: an arrest for DUI and hit-and-run in 2015 that prompted his release from the San Francisco 49ers.

A 2011 first-round pick, Smith was once one of the most-feared edge rushers in the NFL. He was an All-Pro with the 49ers and posted 42 sacks from 2011-13.

With the Cowboys last season, Smith had five sacks in 16 games. Three of those came against the Seahawks in Seattle in Week 3.

Smith had a 9.1 pressure percentage last season, which ranked 40th among all edge rushers, according to Next Gen Stats.

Seahawks edge rushers, meanwhile, combined for a 13.7 pressure rate. That ranked 30th in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

While details were not available, the one-year deal is likely to be somewhat similar to the contract Smith had last year with Dallas, which was for up to $2 million, but with just a minimum base salary of $910,000 with the rest tied up in various incentives, including per-game roster bonuses, something the Seahawks use commonly. Smith earned $650,000 in per-game roster bonuses last year with Dallas by playing in all 16 games. Smith played 809 snaps for Dallas last year or 73%.

Smith adds to a Seattle edge-rushing group that includes recently re-signed Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa, and second-year players Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson.

Taylor did not play last season while still recovering from surgery to repair a shin injury suffered during his last year at Tennessee, and practiced only at the end of the season. Adding Smith gives Seattle some insurance as Taylor works his way back.

Seattle also added free agent Kerry Hyder to bolster the team’s “big” defensive end position, which includes Rasheem Green and L.J. Collier. Seattle may use Collier more as a tackle, especially in nickel packages.

Seattle has only Cody Barton as a strongside linebacker, and the Seahawks could consider Smith – a 6-5, 255-pounder who played linebacker during his years with the 49ers from 2011-14 – as possibly helping in that role.

A report from SI.com Wednesday stated the Seahawks first offered a contract to Smith in March but that initially fell through due to concern over Smith’s “personal issues.” The meeting with Smith apparently smoothed out any issues.

Reeling in Smith ends something of a long courtship – the Seahawks were reported to have tried to trade for Smith at midseason last year before acquiring Dunlap.

That came shortly after Smith had his best game of the season for Dallas against the Seahawks when he sacked Russell Wilson three times. Smith had just one sack in the final 13 games of the season, however. Smith has seven sacks in nine regular-season games against Seattle in his career and had another two along with a forced fumble in the 2013 NFC Conference title game won by the Seahawks 23-17.