San Francisco 49ers Roster & Rumors: Darnell Dockett Signs with Niners, Aldon Smith Gets Restructured Deal
The San Francisco 49ers secured a deal to acquire defensive end Darnell Dockett and also struck a restructured deal with linebacker Aldon Smith on Thursday, multiple reports confirmed.
Dockett, who was released by the Arizona Cardinals after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the club, reportedly signed a two-year deal with 49ers, who have been looking to bolster their defensive line.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but ESPN revealed that the veteran defensive end signed a $7.5 million contract that will give him $4 million in the upcoming season.
Dockett, who missed the entire 2014 NFL season after sustaining a torn ACL in his right knee, was released by the Cardinals last week. The move came as a surprise to many despite the fact that Dockett hurt his knee last season because the 33-year-old has only missed two games in his first 10 seasons in Arizona.
Previous reports indicated the Cardinals were hoping to strike a less-expensive deal with Dockett, but their offer was lower than the defensive end's asking price. Dockett said that he gave the Cardinals several chances to work out a new deal before he eventually decided to accept the offer from the 49ers.
"Organizations pay who they want to pay," said Dockett, who revealed that the difference between the offers was just less than $500,000. "I gave the Arizona Cardinals two, three times to match the offer, and when I gave them two, three times to match the offer, I was willing to take less than what San Fran offered."
Dockett, a three-time Pro Bowl player, had 459 tackles and 40.5 sacks to go along with 12 fumble recoveries and seven forced fumbles in 10 seasons with the Cardinals.
Meanwhile, the 49ers also announced that they have restructured the contract of Smith, who will be playing in the final year of his deal with the team next season.
According to Paul Gutierrez of ESPN, Smith could still earn the entire $9.754 million that he is scheduled to earn next season, but he needs to meet certain requirements the club has laid out.
Smith will earn $2 million before the new season kicks off and the remaining amount will be given via a series of non-guaranteed bonuses if he behaves well for the entire season.
Smith, the seventh overall pick of the 49ers in 2011, was suspended for nine games last season for violating league policies on personal conduct and substance abuse.
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