National Football League

Oakland Raiders: Aldon Smith Reportedly Will Be Reinstated In March

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:38 p.m. ET

Fansided, Joe Soriano/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

The Oakland Raiders defense improved as the 2016 season wore on, but could Aldon Smith be the missing piece that makes the unit as elite as their offense?

General manager Reggie McKenzie turned the Oakland Raiders into a juggernaut, and he did so by making some shrewd decisions on the defensive side of the ball in 2016. Adding Sean Smith, Bruce Irvin, Reggie Nelson, and Karl Joseph to the defense paid huge dividends. More help could be on the way in 2017, though.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that edge rusher Aldon Smith will be reinstated in March.

#Raiders LB Aldon Smith will be reinstated in March, sources say, barring a slip up in the drug program. His request was deferred in Dec.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 5, 2017

It isn’t quite a guarantee yet, because we have seen “slip-ups” happen far too frequently in the past for Smith to be out of the woods yet. But there’s always been optimism surrounding Smith’s future ever since he initially applied for reinstatement in December. Per Rapoport, this application was deferred, but it sounds like Smith should be back on the field in 2017.

There’s no way of knowing for sure, but it seems like Smith has found a way to overcome his abuse of alcohol. He was dealing with a serious health problem, and the road back might be more circular than linear. The Raiders have ostensibly done a praiseworthy job of supporting the troubled talent, and they could reap the on-the-field benefits if all goes well.

Khalil Mack won the Defensive Player of the Year award after a sensational 2016 season, and he might be the best defensive player in the game behind J.J. Watt. Adding Smith to the picture with Mack and Irvin could be huge, and this upcoming reinstatement creates even more positive buzz surrounding the Raiders.