Marcus Thompson: Smith signing could work if Raiders handle him right

It’s risky. It’s bold. It’s surprising. But it actually could work. And that’s perhaps the biggest testament to how things have changed between the Raiders and the 49ers.

The 49ers were once the stronger of the two franchises. It was the Raiders that were the unruly mess devoid of discipline and professionalism. But the signing of Smith is the latest evidence of how the tables have turned on the field and within both teams’ cultures.

The 49ers had to drop Smith to show they were really serious about winning with class. The Raiders picked up Smith, suggesting they have the class to transform him.

It’s the Raiders who have the credibility from a moral perspective to make a move like this. They haven’t harbored knuckleheads for years and actually took a stance against domestic violence by not signing convicted abuser Greg Hardy. They haven’t had players repeatedly in trouble with the law, making headlines for bad behavior. Keeping their nose clean gives them the leeway to take such chances.

It’s the Raiders whose head coach inspires confidence that this could actually work. Jack Del Rio has experience and a reputation that suggests he might be able to handle a character like Smith.

It’s the Raiders who have the veteran presence and experience in that locker room that makes you think Smith will have the support he needs. Charles Woodson. Justin Tuck. Derek Carr. The Raiders have some professionals in that locker room who can teach Smith a thing a two about off-field conduct.

It’s the Raiders who are well enough off that, if it doesn’t work, it won’t destroy their season. If Smith screws up, they can waive him and keep it moving. It’s just a one-year deal, reportedly.

With that being said, the Raiders are fooling themselves if they don’t deal with Aldon the man before taking advantage of Aldon the pass rusher. And the temptation to throw him out on the field has to be strong when you think about the damage he and Khalil Mack could do together.

Not sure what Smith has been doing since the 49ers released him after his arrest, but his issues seemed much deeper than a one-month fix. If he is going to be part of the Raiders family, the family really needs to help him address his issues. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in trouble.

And that’s where the risk comes in. The Raiders finally have outrun their stigma as bad boys. There is a chance Smith could derail that. He could put them back in the spotlight for negative reasons. He could even have a negative influence on some of their young players.

But that the organization feels comfortable taking that risk shows it believes it can handle it. And from the outside looking in, that assessment is reasonable. The Raiders do seem to have the infrastructure and attributes to prevent one bad apple from spoiling the bunch.

And if the Raiders do this right, get Smith where he needs to be personally, they will have a one-two pass-rushing punch that could dominate in the NFL for years to come.

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