The Raiders on Friday signed former 49ers OLB Aldon Smith to a 1-year deal. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Smith had at least 3 other teams interested. Signing with the Raiders indicates either that they made the best money offer or presented the best opportunity for playing time. With limited pass-rushing beyond Khalil Mack, we'd bet Oakland promised Smith the opportunity to play his way into the rotation as quickly as he can prove ready. The 1-year deal should have Smith motivated to deliver this year before hitting the open market in March. The fact that Mack has lined up as a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE while keeping a LB designation in many fantasy leagues means we should expect the same for Smith. If he gets a DL tag, of course, his IDP value will grow significantly. For now, he's a player to watch in your fantasy football league rather than 1 to chase down immediately on waivers -- unless you play in a deep IDP format. The Raiders' team D, meanwhile, could get a big boost if they get the same kind of player we saw when Smith was on the field for the Niners.
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