The Seattle Seahawks tried to trade for Aldon Smith last season. Now they will sign the free-agent pass rusher.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Seahawks and Smith have agreed to terms on a one-year deal, per sources informed of the situation. The Seahawks later confirmed the signing.
The edge rusher visited Seattle Wednesday.
Smith had not played since 2015 due to off-field issues, before returning to join the Dallas Cowboys last season.
The former San Francisco 49ers first-round pick was an every-down player for Dallas, playing 809 snaps, 13th most among edge defenders last season. He compiled five sacks, 14 QB hits, and two passes defended to go along with 48 tackles last season. Pro Football Focus charted Smith with 50 total pressures last season, 20th at his position.
He might not be the pass-rushing force he was early in his career (33.5 sacks in his first two seasons), but Smith showed he can still win at the point of attack with speed, set the edge and win one-on-one matchups.
Last season, Smith proved that he still has juice left in his legs even after a long layoff. According to Next Gen Stats, Smith had a 9.1 pressure percent last season (40th among EDGE, min. 200 pass rushes). All Seahawks edge rushers combined for a 13.7 QB pressure percent in 2020 (30th in NFL, per PFF).
Seattle aimed to upgrade the pass rush this offseason, re-signing Carlos Dunlap and adding versatile Kerry Hyder. Adding Smith, who could thrive in a rotational role, is the next step if the Seahawks front four bouncing back from a down season.