3 Teams Crazy Enough to Take Chance on Aldon Smith if He Gets Reinstated by NFL

Aldon Smith last played in an NFL game back in 2015 with the Oakland Raiders. He then missed the entire 2016 and 2017 seasons with legal issues before the Raiders finally cut him loose in 2018 when Smith was unable to be reinstated. The former No. 7 overall pick is reportedly seeking reinstatement, and while he certainly boasts talent, a lot of teams won't be able to look the other way as it pertains to his off-field issues. Here, however, are three teams who may be wild enough to take a chance on him.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

Aldon Smith played with the Raiders in 2015. / Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

After Smith's 49ers tenure fizzled out, the Raiders brought him to Oakland for another shot in the league. Nine games and 3.5 sacks later, the team moved on from Smith following a domestic violence dispute. While his exit from Oakland was surely ugly, the team may be willing to give him another chance to prove he's made meaningful behavioral changes. After all, we're talking about a player who racked up 19.5 sacks in his second year in the league.

2. New York Giants

New York Giants head coach Joe Judge may like the potential of Aldon Smith. / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The New York Giants will likely be addressing some of their defensive issues via the draft, but why not take a risk and go after a talent like Smith, if he gets reinstated. There's no doubt he'd be on a short leash, and if the experiment fails he can simply be cut. Talent like Smith's is hard to come by, and if the Giants, who are in need of pass rushers, want a potentially cheap option to get after opposing QBs, they could do a lot worse than to roll the dice on Smith.

1. Dallas Cowboys

Aldon Smith could play alongside Jaylon Smith with the Dallas Cowboys. / Al Pereira/Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys have shown a willingness to give players second chances. Thus, what better landing spot for Aldon Smith? Jerry Jones could look to add the pass rusher on a cheap deal while saving money to lock down Amari Cooper and Dak Prescott. Smith would have the chance to turn his career around, while the Cowboys would have a low-risk, high-reward talent in the trenches.