Sméagol: Hero of the Third Age

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

But Smeagol being the hero of the age, I think he was. Frodo did fail due to the fact that he claimed the Ring for his own at the end of the quest. So all in all, the residents of Middle-Earth shouldn't have celebrated Frodo at all, but Sam and Gollum, because in the end it was really Gollum who competed the quest and destroyed the Ring. (TheGreatElvenWarrior)

Hmm, but Frodo was the Ringbearer. He had lots of help on his journey, yes, but the Ring was mostly around his neck for most of the mission. We should give him credit for that.

Would there be a reason to contemplate Sméagol's sacrifice/suicide/accident had the Ring not been in the Cracks of Doom at that time, or at all?