If Aldon Smith’s future with the 49ers wasn’t already in jeopardy before his Sunday night arrest at Los Angeles International Airport, it certainly will be in doubt now. Even if he plays for the 49ers this season, or for anybody, he is in the last year of his rookie contract, and the 49ers now have to consider even exercising their option for 2015, never mind signing him to an extension.
Smith turns 25 in September, is due to make $2.3 million in 2014, and his performance so far – 42 sacks in three seasons, including 8 ½ in just 11 games last year – support a big raise, or at least the option for next season. But the 49ers have to decide on the option by May 3, and even if the airport arrest case is not resolved by then, his track record makes such a commitment problematic.
If the 49ers pass on the option, Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The 49ers clearly showed their support for Smith last season by allowing him to enter rehab in September after his third DUI arrest since coming to the NFL. Instead of suspending him, the team put him on the reserve/non-football injury list for five games. The NFL chose not to discipline Smith, either, even while three felony weapons charges were filed against him in October.
The week before the 49ers’ NFC championship game in Seattle, head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters that he thought Smith had emerged from his troubles a better man.
"We all tend to forget that the reason we got smart is because we learned from our mistakes," Harbaugh said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "That's how you get smart, by learning from your mistakes. He's been really good."