Oakland Raiders: 6 Players Who Should Become Ex-Raiders This Offseason
By Kevin Saito
Duh. Biggest no-brainer on the roster. At this point, it’s probably already a foregone conclusion that Smith will be playing elsewhere in 2018. That is, if he’s not in prison.
In his two seasons with the Raiders, Smith has been a shadow of the player he was in Kansas City, where his outstanding play led him to the big dollar deal he signed to play with the Silver and Black.
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Smith’s sharp decline in play can’t be put entirely on his shoulders though. From the moment he walked through the door, until he was (finally, thankfully) canned, former DC Ken Norton Jr. had Smith playing in a system that did not play to his strengths. Simply put, Norton did not put Smith in a position to have any kind of success.
Smith’s play improved over the back stretch of the season – which coincided with the elevation of John Pagano to the defensive coordinator’s chair – but not enough to justify keeping him for another year. Not at a cost of $8.5 million for the 2018 season – and another $9 million in 2019, if you’re scoring at home.
Let’s also not forget the pending legal battle that Smith is facing. He faces very serious charges – felony assault and batter – and could possibly end up doing time as a result.
The fact that they can shed Smith’s salary, not have any dead money as a result, and part ways with a player who’s underperformed and is facing a messy legal situation make it more likely than not, that Smith’s time in Oakland is done.