Tag: Za’Darius Smith

Former Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith returning to Baltimore on 4-year deal with Ravens

Former Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith is returning to Baltimore after signing a four-year deal with the Ravens, the team that drafted him in 2015.

Pro Bowl edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, who was released by the Green Bay Packers on Monday, is returning to Baltimore on a multi-year deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Smith, 29, spent three seasons in Green Bay after signing a $66 million deal in 2019. He was originally drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 draft.

Per Schefter, Smith’s deal with the Ravens is for four years and at least $35 million, with a max value of $50 million, hinting at a heavily-incentivized contract structure.

If healthy, Smith could be a steal for the Ravens.

After creating 18.5 sacks and 52 quarterback hits over his first four seasons in Baltimore, Smith turned into a legitimate star with the Packers. He produced 26 sacks and 60 quarterback hits between the 2019 and 2020 seasons before missing all but one game in 2021 with a back injury. He was a two-time Pro Bowler (2019-20) and a second-team All-Pro (2020) while with the Packers.

Smith was scheduled to have a cap number of almost $28 million in 2022, so the Packers were all but forced to release him to save almost $15 million on the cap.

Smith going back to the AFC is a win for the Packers, especially with former defensive assistants Mike Pettine and Mike Smith now coaching in Minnesota with the Vikings.

The Packers played the Ravens in Baltimore last season and won’t face the AFC North foe again until the 2023 season at the earliest.

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Remaining free agent pass rusher fits and potential targets for the Cardinals

With the Cardinals likely set to lose All-Pro edge rusher Chandler Jones, who else could the Cards turn to for help?

As of Tuesday night, the second day of the NFL’s official negotiation window has passed and the Arizona Cardinals have yet to add a player from outside their organization.

One of their most pressing needs is edge rusher. They currently have Markus Golden and Devon Kennard on the roster and they re-signed Dennis Gardeck to a three-year deal, but the potential loss of Chandler Jones leaves a hole that was filled for six years by the former All-Pro.

Who could the Cardinals turn to for help? Below are some of the best fits and potential targets still on the market.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Ravens reportedly pursuing former Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith, interested in reunion

The Ravens are reportedly pursuing former Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith and are interested in a reunion

The Baltimore Ravens have seen many of their great players depart during free agency to pursue other opportunities. However, that doesn’t mean that they’ve never come back to the organization at one point or another for a second stint.

On Wednesday after the legal tampering period for 2022 NFL free agency began, it was reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network that Baltimore was one of the teams pursuing a recently released former Raven in now-former Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith. The veteran would represent a clear upgrade in the pass rushing department for Baltimore.

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic shared some more information, saying that the Ravens are “definitely interested in a reunion” with their former outside linebacker.

Smith spent the first four years of his NFL career in Baltimore, putting together solid production. He signed a massive deal with Green Bay during the 2019 offseason and turned into one of the best pass rushers in the league over the next two seasons. However, a serious neck injury limited him to just one game in 2021, which is seemingly one of the reasons for his recent release.

Were the Packers wise to bet on Preston Smith for the second time?

The Packers re-upped pass-rusher Preston Smith with a sizeable contract extension. Here’s why that was the right move.

The Packers got some clarity at the game’s most important position when Aaron Rodgers agreed to a four-year extension last week. That this news was almost immediately usurped by Tom Brady’s un-retirement no doubt made Mr. Rodgers unhappy, and no doubt we’ll be hearing about that for a while. But at least for the moment, the Pack have that issue addressed.

Perhaps second on the list for general manager Brian Gutekunst was to get the team’s pass rush set for the upcoming season. On Monday, it was revealed that Green Bay set their course on this by signing Preston Smith to a four-year, $52.5 million contract extension. Smith had signed a four year, $52 million contract in 2019, so he had one year left on his initial deal with Green Bay.

It’s an interesting move in that Smith’s tenure with Green Bay has been a bit up and down. He had 15 sacks and 62 total pressures in 2019, five sacks and 29 total pressures in 2020, and he flew back into prominence last season with nine sacks and 63 total pressures. That bounceback was crucial to the Packers’ success last season, because as much as Rashan Gary had his breakout year after a couple of undefined seasons with 12 sacks and 87 total pressures, Za’Darius Smith — who had been the Packers’ dominant edge defender — missed all but 37 snaps due to injury. Za’Darius Smith was released on Monday, by the way.

So, if Preston Smith hadn’t brought his pass rush back to life, the Packers might have been in trouble.

But were the Packers wise to re-invest in Preston Smith’s potential?

The thing that pops off the tape with Smith in 2021 is his ability to get his hands on the blocker first. He’s very quick to attack and set the boundary against anybody who’s trying to protect their quarterback. Usually, the key to success in this regard is for the blocker to be aggressive with his hands, to set the defender on his heels and off his spot. But Smith negates that with his quick and heavy hands more often than not. On this sack against the Bears in Week 14, here’s Smith blowing right by the tight end and the left tackle with that estimable combination of speed to the pocket, and quick, aggressive hand use.

On this Week 11 sack against the Vikings, Smith shows that he’s quick enough to pursue that if your offensive tackle doesn’t get quickly into his pass set, it’s pretty much Game Over.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about veteran pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue is Ngakoue’s non-stop and ferocious effort to the quarterback. Even if you beat Ngakoue right off the snap with a power move, you’d better be on point with your protection until the pass is thrown, because Ngakoue was going to do everything possible to get there, whether the quarterback was in or out of the pocket. Both in his speed through the arc and in his constant effort, Smith reminds me a lot of Ngakoue, and that’s a very good thing. Russell Wilson would reluctantly agree.

Smith isn’t a perfect pass-rusher — you can eliminate him for the most part with double-teams, and power tackles who can stick with him are going to have the edge. But with this particular deal, and given what the Packers require in their pass-rush presence, and especially with Za’Darius Smith now out the door, betting on Preston Smith for a second time seems like a relatively wise move.

Packers release OLB Za’Darius Smith, clear $15.3M in salary cap space

The Packers released veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith. The expected move clears $15.3 million of salary cap space.

The Green Bay Packers released outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, clearing a massive chunk of salary cap space but removing an impact pass-rusher from Brian Gutekunst’s roster.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the news Monday.

Smith, a two-time Pro Bowler and a first-time All-Pro in 2020, had a cap number of $27.7 million entering the 2022 season. Releasing Smith clears almost $15.3 million from the Packers cap but adds almost $12.4 million in dead money.

Smith, who turns 30 in September, missed all but one game in 2021 while dealing with a back injury that eventually required surgery.

A prized free-agent signing in 2019, Smith delivered 26.0 sacks, 144 total pressures and 60 quarterback hits during his first two seasons in Green Bay. He led all players in total pressures in 2019, and he produced at least 12.5 sacks in both seasons.

Smith’s cap number was the second-highest on the Packers roster behind only Aaron Rodgers.

Releasing Smith creates a need at edge rusher for the Packers, even with Preston Smith and Rashan Gary on the roster. Finding a third rusher or long-term sidekick for Gary could become a priority for the Packers this offseason, either through free agency or the draft.

Even though he’s coming off a major injury, Smith is expected to be a coveted player on the open market.

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Should Giants work a trade for Za’Darius Smith?

The New York Giants need help along the edge, but would a trade for Green Bay Packers DE Za’Darius Smith actually make sense?

The New York Giants will enter the new league year on the hunt for upgrades at multiple positions, including along the edge. Perhaps second only to offensive line reinforcements, the Giants need a quality pass rusher to add to Don Martindale’s defense.

However, given the team’s salary cap restraints, that fix is unlikely to come via free agency. Rather, the draft seems like a much safer bet.

But that’s not a thought that entered the mind of Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine, who recently broke down every team’s ideal trade scenario.

In Ballentine’s breakdown, he postulates that the Giants should trade for Green Bay Packers defensive end Za’Darius Smith.

Za’Darius Smith broke out and earned himself a big contract with 8.5 sacks in his final season with the Baltimore Ravens. That also happens to be the year that Don “Wink” Martindale made the move from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.

Martindale now happens to be the new defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.

The Packers find themselves in a position where they are paying Za’Darius and Preston Smith nearly a quarter of their salary-cap space. With Rashan Gary proving he’s ready to take over one of their spots, it makes sense they would want to move one of the Smiths.

. . .

Smith would instantly enhance New York’s pass-rush. He spent most of the 2021 season on injured reserve, but he had a sack on just 19 snaps in Green Bay’s lone playoff game. That’s a good sign he’ll be ready to produce again in 2022.

The problem with the Giants potentially acquiring Smith is outlined in Ballentine’s analysis. Although it would be a positive to reunite him with Martindale, New York is currently over the cap and have no means to take on Smith’s massive salary.

Smith is entering the final year of a four-year deal and is slated to account for a whopping $27.7 million against the cap. The only scenario in which the Giants could absorb that hit is a contract extension — something they may not be willing to do or even interested in entertaining.

An alternate scenario would be the Packers releasing Smith as a cap casualty, but then a feeding frenzy would likely ensue with the Giants being priced out.

Ultimately, Smith in a Giants uniform is a fun and intriguing thought, but it’s not something that’s going to manifest.

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Ravens players respond to cryptic tweet by Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith

Ravens players responded to a cryptic tweet by Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith

The Baltimore Ravens have seen many different homegrown players depart their team for other opportunities over the years in free agency. Some of those players have gone on to have successful careers, while others have struggled. A recent example of a player who took off after leaving Baltimore is outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, who signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Green Bay Packers during the 2019 offseason.

Smith has turned into one of the best pass rushers in the league during his time in Green Bay, but there has been some speculation as to whether he will be a cap casualty. On Friday, Smith tweeted out a single emoji, cryptically signaling that something might be going on.

A few Ravens players responded to the tweet, namely inside linebacker Patrick Queen and cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

Smith is currently slated to have over a $27 million cap hit in 2022, and the Packers can save around $15 million by cutting ties this offseason. The veteran only played in one game during the 2021 season with a back injury, but combined for 26 sacks during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Smith spent the first four seasons of his career with the Ravens, and the team could certainly be interested in a reunion if he is indeed let go by Green Bay. Baltimore will almost certainly look to beef up their pass rush this offseason, and Smith would be a great place to start. It seems like Ravens players are on board with the idea as well.

Does Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith know his time in Green Bay is ending?

Is Za’Darius Smith’s time in Green Bay coming to an end? The Packers OLB posted an interesting message on Twitter on Friday.

Green Bay Packers outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith posted a cryptic message on Twitter on Friday, potentially foreshadowing his departure from the team after three seasons.

Smith, who has an increasingly uncertain future with the team because of salary-cap reasons, posted nothing more than the eyeballs emoji on his official Twitter account, but it’s worth noting considering what could be on the horizon.

Smith also scrubbed clean his Twitter and Instagram accounts, leaving behind no reference to the Packers.

Does the 2020 All-Pro know his time in Green Bay is coming to an end?

It’s certainly possible Smith will soon be released. His cap number rises to almost $27.7 million in 2022, the final year of his current contract. The Packers must find a way to drastically reduce Smith’s impact on the cap before the start of the new league year, and a release appears to be the only sensible path forward. If the Packers cut Smith, the team would save almost $15.3 million on the cap in 2022.

The Packers could pursue a trade, but two significant obstacles exist: teams know the Packers need to dump Smith’s salary, and a trade would mean the Packers have to keep Smith’s contract on the books past the start of the new league year. The team has to shed over $50 million from their cap commitments before March 16, and Smith’s contract is a huge part of the puzzle.

Smith was the Packers’ prized free-agent acquisition in 2019. He produced 26.0 sacks and 60 quarterback hits over two fantastic seasons in 2019 and 2020, but he played in just one regular-season game while battling a back injury that required surgery in 2021. He returned for the postseason and played a handful of snaps – producing a sack – in the Packers’ loss to the 49ers.

Smith turns 30 in September and is coming off a significant injury. But his quarterback-disrupting ability and versatility as a pass-rusher should make him an attractive player on the open market, especially considering how important rushing the quarterback remains in today’s NFL.

Regardless of whether Smith’s tweet meant something or nothing, expect something to be finalized on his future in Green Bay in the near future.

Also of note, the Packers replaced outside linebackers coach Mike Smith with Jason Rebrovich on Friday, meaning a big leadership change is in store for the Packers’ edge-rusher group. Smith is leaving Matt LaFleur’s coaching staff to pursue other opportunities.

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Za’Darius or Preston: Which Smith will the Packers bring back in 2022?

The Packers may have to decide between Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith in 2022. Which edge rusher is more likely to be back in Green Bay?

The Green Bay Packers may have to make a choice between edge rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith.

We all know the Packers will be strapped for salary-cap space during the offseason, but they are determined to field a contender and keep their Super Bowl window open. Of course, that is heavily dependent on Aaron Rodgers returning for another season. Matt LaFleur certainly hopes Rodgers will be back, and the thought of a rebuild isn’t even on the table.

So, how does Green Bay keep their team competitive while getting under the salary? It will have to come down to some tough roster decisions.

Za’Darius and Preston Smith will be two of the Packers’ top earners next year. Therefore, they will be likely candidates to either restructure, extend, or part ways with completely.

According to Over The Cap, Za’Darius Smith carries a cap hit of just under $28 million in 2022. Green Bay has no intentions of paying him that much as it makes Za’Darius the fourth highest-paid edge rusher in the league next season, which is simply too much for a team trying to cut corners.

Za’Darius Smith had a breakout season in 2019 but went through a noticeable regression in his second year – at least in terms of total pressures and pressure rate – with the Packers. This past season, things got even tougher for the 29-year-old pass rusher after a back injury kept him out for virtually the entire season. It would be hard to pay a guy top money after two years spent either declining or hurt. Not to mention, they have an emerging star in Rashan Gary, who did well in Za’Darius’ absence.

Meanwhile, Preston carries a much lighter cap hit. His cap hit will be just under $20 million, but there is a much higher chance of re-negotiating.

Like his free-agent classmate, Preston also took a step back in his second season with the team. This gave Green Bay leverage when they asked Preston to restructure before the start of the 2021 season. The Packers were able to compromise with Preston by adding incentives to his current deal while saving $7.25 million towards the cap.

Both the team and Smith benefitted heavily from his new deal. He was a key contributor on a contending team and also made a little extra money thanks to improved play. Preston’s 9.0 sacks from this season resulted in an extra $2 million in incentives.

Green Bay could try to work out something similar with Preston if they can’t reach an extension. Za’Darius, on the other hand, seems less likely to take a pay cut. He has a few years of high-level play left in him, and his price tag will reflect that. It also doesn’t help that he already hinted that his time with the Packers could be over. This coming from a player who was frustrated with not being named a team captain in 2021 is far from encouraging.

Of course, both players could be gone next season if a new deal can’t be reached. However, between the two, it would seem Preston is much more likely to be back.

Za’Darius Smith sacks Jimmy Garoppolo on first snap back from injury

Packers OLB Za’Darius Smith sacked Jimmy Garoppolo on his first snap of Saturday’s divisional round playoff game.

Welcome back, Za’Darius Smith.

On his first snap back after missing 16 games with a back injury, Smith beat a block and sacked Jimmy Garoppolo on third down to force a punt on the San Francisco 49ers’ first drive of the NFC divisional round at Lambeau Field on Saturday night.

Smith, who suffered through the injury throughout training camp, played only 18 snaps in Week 1 before getting shut down for back surgery. He was activated off injured reserve on Friday, clearing his path to return for the start of the Packers’ playoff run.

He made his presence immediately known.

Smith bowled over the left guard and wrapped up Garoppolo by the ankles to end the 49ers’ drive on 3rd-and-12.

During his first two seasons with the Packers, Smith produced 26.0 sacks and 60 quarterback hits. It didn’t take long for him to get back to disrupting the quarterback.

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