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Raiders GM unclear about Aldon Smith's status

Kirby Lee / USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie appeared to be unclear about Aldon Smith's status during the annual league meeting Monday.

The 27-year-old applied for reinstatement in October 2016, and his one-year suspension came to an end last November, but he's still yet to be reinstated. It was reported in February that Smith would be reinstated provided that he didn't violate terms of his drug rehab program. No update was provided after the March incident.

Smith was under investigation by the San Francisco Police Department with regards to an alleged domestic violence incident in February. No arrests were made and an update on Smith's potential reinstatement was never given.

The linebacker was detained for public intoxication on March 9 after being a passenger in a vehicle that collided with a police car, and two officers were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. However, the linebacker wasn't charged and was released on the same day, telling reporters "I'm doing great."

McKenzie was coy about Smith's status, deferring to the league office.

"The league knows more about that than we do," McKenzie said to Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Smith was once one of the most promising defenders in football, earning Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in 2012 after racking up 19.5 sacks as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. If Smith can provide a reasonable facsimile of his younger self upon being reinstated, the Raiders may have the most dangerous edge pairing in the league, as the team already boasts Defensive Player of the Year Khalil Mack.

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