Sports chatter: Will Aldon Smith’s reinstatement push Cowboys’ defensive line over the top?

Aldon Smith’s reinstatement should open the eyes of quarterbacks and offensive linemen around the NFL.

Smith was reinstated yesterday after a four-year NFL absence, according to multiple reports. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell met with Smith virtually and will allow him to participate in the Cowboys’ offseason program.

Smith, 30, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Cowboys on April 1. He entered the NFL in 2011 as the seventh overall pick in the first round and didn’t disappoint. He finished 2012 with 19.5 sacks and his only Pro Bowl appearance, but he never played 16 games again.

A pair of DUI charges and a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy led to his release from the 49ers, and he played just one season in Oakland before being released after another NFL year-long suspension and an arrest that stemmed from a domestic violence charge. He had the most sacks of any player in NFL history through their first two seasons.

The Eagles and Cowboys are projected to be the top two teams in the NFC East this season. Those games usually come down to who wins in the trenches. Philly’s offensive line matches up well with the Cowboys’ defensive line, but if Smith returns to his old state, that could change.

Losing Robert Quinn and his 11.5 sacks in free agency hurt the Cowboys. Two-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence only recorded five sacks last season, but he should have a better season. Defensive end Tyrone Crawford has been a steady presence opposite of Lawrence, but the Cowboys need more firepower after finishing 19th in the NFL in sacks last season. Crawford has never recorded more than 5.5 sacks in his seven seasons.

Smith could provide the lift off the edge that the Cowboys need, and if the reports of Smith currently being sober, lean and fast are true ... look out.

Paul Pierce’s post-basketball career hasn’t been as good as his NBA days.

He is currently an ESPN NBA analyst. For someone nicknamed “The Truth,” his bold statements have been mostly viewed as false by the NBA world.

His latest hot take was suggesting that LeBron James isn’t a top-five player of all time. Okay, most people would concede that Michael Jordan is better than James. A strong argument can also be made for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Pierce added Bill Russell, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant to conclude his argument.

My initial thought was this is personal beef. Pierce and the Celtics were the last team to defeat James in the 2010 playoffs before he went to eight consecutive NBA Finals. In some ways, Pierce is responsible for creating the monster that torched him for the rest of his career, which included James putting him out the playoffs the next two seasons and scoring 49 points in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals after Pierce asked to guard him.

Pierce’s former teammate, Kendrick Perkins, confirmed Pierce’s personal dislike for James.

Mixing personal decisions with business is a big mistake, and Pierce can’t use his fancy footwork or his step-back jumper to dodge this situation.

To make matters worse, Pierce doubled-down on his statement and added that Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan are sixth and seventh, respectively.

The nickname, “The Truth,” was perfect for Pierce’s 19-year NBA career, but it’s not working as an analyst. His most popular false assumption was declaring that the Celtics-Bucks series was over last season after the Celtics won Game 1. The Bucks went on to win the series, 4-1. But there’s more where that came from.

Add his thoughts on James to the list.