Fooch's update No. 2: It's official, Justin Smith is retiring
Matt Barrows has learned that Justin Smith has in fact made a decision regarding his future with the team. It sounds like a decision is likely, although not guaranteed today. The whole thing has dragged on for some time now, so it is only fitting we have just a little more uncertainty left.
The fact that the team is making the announcement would seem to indicate retirement, but Justin Smith does not strike me as one to make his own announcement either way. If he plans on returning for one more year, he might just be fine telling the team, returning to practice and then letting the team make the announcement. I think he could not care any less about the public relations aspects of this.
And so, for now we wait a little while longer for a final answer. The team starts OTAs tomorrow, which is when practices really take a step up in intensity. It makes sense that the team would get an answer when they get to the most serious part of on-field work preceding training camp.