Oakland Raiders: 2016 Offseason In House To Do List
By Kevin Saito
At times during the season, the Raiders defense seemed like it had too much of a good thing with Khalil Mack on one side and Aldon Smith on the other. It appeared that Ken Norton didn’t quite know what to do with two stellar pass rushers. So much so, that having them both on the field was, at times, ineffective.
But as the season wore on – after Smith’s year long suspension took effect – Norton seemed to grow into his role as the DC and the defense grew stronger. In fact, over the last month and half of the season or so, the Raiders defense was one of the better units in the league. Yes, that had much to do with the benching of D.J. Hayden and the rise of David Amerson, but Norton seemed to have really figured things out and got the defense rolling on the right path.
Which brings us back to Smith. He’s not eligible to return to the game and sign a contract until next November. But he’s stated his desire to return to the supportive and stable environment the Raiders provided him and continue his career.
It would be a good idea for the Raiders to pony up the money to bring Smith back to the team. Early on, he struggled to find his niche within Norton’s system, but that may be a by-product of Norton trying to really figure out his system. In his last two games before his suspension took effect, Smith tallied a sack in each and three and half overall in his nine games with the team.
Bringing Smith back and bookending him with Mack would give the Raiders a scary one-two punch in their defensive front. Especially now that the players have had a year in Norton’s system and the defensive unit seems to be heading down the right path. Having another premier pass rusher like Smith on that unit would give the Raiders a formidable front that could make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks.
Many were skeptical of adding Smith to the roster to begin with, but he really seemed to have settled down, matured, and gotten himself on the right path. Of course, there is a risk of him regressing to the form that led to his year long ban to begin with, but to date, he seems to be saying and doing all the right things. It seems a gamble worth taking as Smith can really help take this Raiders defense to the next level.
Next: A Pleasant Surprise