Seahawks DE Aldon Smith’s arraignment moved back to August

The arraignment for Seahawks defensive end Aldon Smith on a second-degree felony battery charge in April has been moved back to Aug. 24, a spokesperson for the St. Bernard Parish (Louisiana) Clerk of Court confirmed Tuesday.

Smith was charged after he was accused of assaulting a man outside a business in Chalmette, Louisiana, on April 17. The incident occurred two days after Smith signed with the Seahawks as a free agent.

Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in April that “we have to let the legal process take its course’’ indicating Smith will be free to practice and play until there is a resolution. Smith could be subject to discipline from the NFL depending the outcome of the case, as well.

Smith did not take part in mandatory minicamp in June, but coach Pete Carroll said that was his decision based on Smith’s conditioning and not a result of his legal situation.

“I didn’t feel like he was ready for this yet,” Carroll said. “But we’ll see how he handles himself through the summertime, the condition he gets into. But we’re looking forward to him making it and getting out here. I just felt it was best for him at this point to just work out on his own.’’

ESPN reported that Smith will be available when the Seahawks open training camp Wednesday afternoon at the VMAC in Renton and that “word from people around him is he’s gotten back in shape.’’

The 31-year-old Smith played 16 games with the Cowboys a year ago with five sacks — three against the Seahawks in a game in September in Seattle. But he had sat out the previous four seasons while suspended by the NFL for off-field issues that included substance abuse violations and pleading no contest to two misdemeanor charges for violating a court order and false imprisonment relating to a domestic violence arrest in 2018.

The Seahawks signed Smith to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary of $990,000, and he is far from a lock to make the team with Seattle having loaded up on edge rushers in the offseason.

Smith figures to get his primary looks at the team’s LEO, or rush end, position, where veterans Carlos Dunlap and Benson Mayowa project as the top two heading into camp.