49ers have until May 3 to decide on the future of Smith who is in trouble again.
The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly “very unlikely” to pick up an option to extend the contract of linebacker Aldon Smith from four years to five.
The 24-year-old was arrested for a false bomb report at Los Angeles Airport earlier this week and while the franchise are in the process of gathering all the pertinent facts, it is just the latest in another off-field incident concerning Smith.
Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News reports that it is “very unlikely” that the 49ers will choose to extend his deal, while there are also question marks over whether or not he will feature for the franchise in 2014.
It is understood that Smith could be suspended by the league under multiple policies and/or he could be placed on the non-football injury/illness list by the team if he has had a relapse of his alcohol issues.
The options above hint at the possibility that the 49ers are in fact done with Smith after his regular misdemeanors, as exercising the option would guarantee his 2015 salary of $9.75m for injury only.
For now, his 2014 is also guaranteed but a suspension would wipe that out, while if the 49ers place him on the NFI list, they wouldn’t have to pay him either.
However, it is remains to be seen whether or not they are also considering the possibility of trading him, as it is likely to become clearer in the coming days that the organisation don’t see Smith suiting up for them again.
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