Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said early in training camp that Aldon Smith would “get everything we’ve got, every step of the way” after an offseason arrest, but any future support he gets from the team is going to come from a distance.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the Seahawks are releasing Smith. The edge rusher signed with the team as a free agent this offseason.
Suspensions for substance abuse and off-field indiscretions had kept Smith had been out of the NFL since 2015 before he joined the Cowboys last year. He appeared in all 16 games for Dallas and recorded five sacks, which was enough for the Seahawks to bring him onboard with the hope of an improved pass rush.
It’s not clear if Wednesday’s move is due to Smith’s April arrest for battery, on-field reasons or some other reason, but something caused the Seahawks to shift gears and move on without him.