Aldon Smith suspension creates big hole in San Francisco 49ers defense

Aldon Smith's suspension and NaVorro Bowman's injury could put the San Francisco 49ers on track for a regression.

Doug Farrar | Aug 29, 2014

Aldon Smith suspension creates big hole in San Francisco 49ers defense /

On Friday afternoon, the NFL announced that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith will be suspended for the first nine games of the season for violations of the league's Personal Conduct Policy, and Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. He will be eligible to return for the team's Week 11 game against the New York Giants.

"Our organization has known this decision would come and we have prepared for it," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. "Aldon has taken responsibility for his actions and has continued to show growth personally and professionally. We will continue to support him, but it is time to put this matter behind us and focus on the season ahead."

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The 49ers, who are already going to be without inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman for half the season due to a knee injury, will certainly miss Smith's pass-rushing acumen. Smith has amassed 42 sacks in 43 regular-season games, and 5.5 more in eight postseason contests. In the first nine games of the season San Francisco is set to face: Dallas, Chicago, Arizona, Philadelphia, Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, St. Louis and New Orleans. Four of those teams made the postseason in 2013, and seven of nine had a .500 record or better.

The 49ers have made at least the NFC title game, and once played in the Super Bowl, during each of Smith's three NFL seasons. They'll have Corey Lemonier and Dan Skuta as Smith's primary backups.

Making matters worse, the NFC West was the NFL's best division last season and that should remain the case in 2014. As I noted in our NFC West preview, the Seahawks may have a dynasty on their hands if they can shore up a few issues; the Rams have the NFL's most intimidating defensive line; and the Cardinals have suffered the most losses to injury and free agency, but remain a team that could take half the other divisions in the NFL from a pure talent perspective. Smith's suspension and Bowman's injury could put the 49ers on track for a serious regression.

NFL Suspensions for 2014

Wes Welker | WR, Denver Broncos

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Josh Gordon | WR, Cleveland Browns

Suspended the entire season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Ray Rice | RB, Baltimore Ravens

Suspended two games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Matt Prater | K, Denver Broncos

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Robert Mathis | LB, Indianapolis Colts

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Aldon Smith | LB, San Francisco 49ers

Suspended nine games for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

Dwayne Bowe | WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Suspended one game for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Will Hill | S, Baltimore Ravens

Suspended six games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Dion Jordan | DE, Miami Dolphins

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Lane Johnson | OT, Philadelphia Eagles

Hunter Martin/Philadelphia Eagles/Getty Images

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Orlando Scandrick | CB, Dallas Cowboys

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Brandon Meriweather | S, Washington Redskins

Suspended two games for an illegal hit.

Jerome Simpson | WR, Minnesota Vikings

Drew Hallowell/Philadelphia Eagles/Getty Images

Suspended three games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Josh Brent | NT, Dallas Cowboys

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Daryl Washington | LB, Arizona Cardinals

Suspended the entire season for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Fred Davis | TE, Free Agent

Suspended indefinitely for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Stedman Bailey | WR, St. Louis Rams

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

LaVon Brazill | WR, Free Agent

Suspended the entire season for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Jayron Hosley | CB, New York Giants

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Nigel Bradham | LB, Buffalo Bills

Suspended one game for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Jake Knott | LB, Free Agent

Suspended four games for violating the league's performance-enhancing substances policy.

Jakar Hamilton | S, Dallas Cowboys

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Frank Alexander | DE, Carolina Panthers

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Brandon Moore | DE, Free Agent

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Rokevious Watkins | OT, Free Agent

Suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Smith, the team's first-round pick in 2011, missed five games during the 2013 season after voluntarily checking himself into a treatment facility following a DUI arrest. It was the second DUI arrest of his NFL career. Smith also faced three felony weapons charges related to a party at his home in 2012, where Smith was stabbed and two other people were shot. In July, he received concurrent 12-day jail sentences for the weapons and DUI charges. He was placed on three years' probation, required to serve 235 hours of community service and pay a $2,000 fine. No charges were filed against Smith after he indicated in April that he had a bomb at Los Angeles International Airport.

Los Angeles police public information officer Karla Ortiz said in a statement that the man identified as Smith went through security screening at Terminal 1, and was selected randomly for secondary screening. Smith reportedly became belligerent and uncooperative with the TSA agent in charge of the screening, and made a comment indicating that he was in possession of a bomb.

When Smith checked himself into treatment last year, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that “The issue here is not to discipline players. The issue is to stop the behavior. And Aldon … has voluntarily said ‘I need help.’”

Published Aug 29, 2014

DOUG FARRAR

SI.com contributing NFL writer and Seattle resident Doug Farrar started writing about football locally in 2002, and became Football Outsiders' West Coast NFL guy in 2006. He was fascinated by FO's idea to combine Bill James with Dr. Z, and wrote for the site for six years. He wrote a game-tape column called "Cover-2" for a number of years, and contributed to six editions of "Pro Football Prospectus" and the "Football Outsiders Almanac." In 2009, Doug was invited to join Yahoo Sports' NFL team, and covered Senior Bowls, scouting combines, Super Bowls, and all sorts of other things for Yahoo Sports and the Shutdown Corner blog through June, 2013. Doug received the proverbial offer he couldn't refuse from SI.com in 2013, and that was that. Doug has also written for the Seattle Times, the Washington Post, the New York Sun, FOX Sports, ESPN.com, and ESPN The Magazine. He also makes regular appearances on several local and national radio shows, and has hosted several podcasts over the years. He counts Dan Jenkins, Thomas Boswell, Frank Deford, Ralph Wiley, Peter King, and Bill Simmons as the writers who made him want to do this for a living. In his rare off-time, Doug can be found reading, hiking, working out, searching for new Hendrix, Who, and MC5 bootlegs, and wondering if the Mariners will ever be good again.