Article by Rob Newell
The sun was shining I was
listening to some retro music and enjoying some liquid refreshment when the
news broke that Aldon Smith had been arrested, again? Straight away I knew that he was done with
the San Francisco 49ers, and to be fair it wasn’t long before news came that he
had been released anyway.
You wonder at times just how
many mirrors it was that Jim Tomsula broke in the off-season. The run of luck he has experienced since
being named the head man must be the worst ever experienced by a rookie head
coach. Then calmer thoughts came and I
remembered that Smith had been suspended for 10 games last season and the
Niners were still ranked as one of the better defences in the league. Put quite simply they have done without him
once, why not again.
As for Smith, being arrested
again, in the off-season following that 10 game ban, he must now be looking at
a season ban at least, although at time of writing no official word has
confirmed this. Is Smith then done with
the NFL? True there are many examples of
problems in one franchise being given second chances and going on to make quite
the career for themselves, Ray Lewis for example, but Smith was already on his
second chance. This was supposed to be
the last year of his rookie deal and he seemingly was backing himself to play
out this year and earn a big pay deal next year rather than negotiate a lower
deal earlier this year. He may be offered
a league minimum one year deal when whatever punishment the NFL hand out is
met, but in the current climate I am not sure the list of teams lining up to offer
Smith that opportunity will be that long.
It is a shame as Aldon Smith
had the type of pass rushing talent that could and should of earned himself a
long and lucrative career and possibly even a spot at Canton, but he has just
about kissed that all goodbye, in the same way the Niners and the NFC West have
kissed him goodbye.
A player staying in the West
however, is new St Louis Rams QB Nick Foles.
Having being acquired as part of the Sam Bradford trade, Foles was in
the last year of his initial deal. It
was thought that this was a prove it year for Foles therefore and the Rams made
no secret of the fact they would be looking at QB’s in the draft as well. Despite this and the stories of how he won't
be the same without Chip Kelly etc…
Foles has impressed in his limited time with
the Rams since then to the point where the team feel comfortable in agreeing a
2 year extension, thus ending speculation and confirming Foles as the man in
this young offence that has been assembled.
Foles is now uniquely placed as well to be QB 1 of the team that in all
probability plays in Los Angeles next year and all the media opportunities that
will bring him. If Todd Gurley and Tre Mason can run the ball as many expect
and Foles can connect with this developing receiving crew the Rams could be
about to climb the mountain again. If
not then Foles and Jeff Fisher will probably not be around much longer after
this season.
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