1. Za’Darius Smith, Green Bay Packers
It’s not that Smith was unspectacular during his four seasons with the Ravens — he put up 18.5 sacks in that time, including 8.5 and 61 total pressures in 2018. But after he signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Packers in March, 2019, all hell broke loose. Paired with fellow free-agent acquisition Preston Smith on the edge, and the perennially underrated Kenny Clark on the inside, Smith was able to work opposing offensive linemen as never before. The 15.5 sacks in the 2019 season were nice, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Smith led the NFL with 105 total pressures, the most by any edge defender since Von Miller matched that total in 2015, and he did it from all over the field — everywhere from wide-nine end to inside linebacker. Wherever he aligned, trouble was coming for opposing quarterbacks. As great as he was on the edge, he was perhaps more effective inside the tackles.
Almost uncanny how often very good & elite players produce big plays against backups in the trenches. It's like they smell blood and turn it up a notch. Monster rep from Z Smith here vs. Wiggins, who was inexplicably rotated in at both guard spots in 2019. pic.twitter.com/7KK6iBehBi
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) July 15, 2020
Z Smith did WORK from the 3T spot in 2019 and is more disruptive inside than outside as a pass-rusher. This is such a great rep for showing how great players make those around them better and also more productive. His thunder punch gets Preston a sack here: pic.twitter.com/1pY1LHueDB
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) July 15, 2020
Smith could make himself a nightmare for centers as well, as he did on this rep in his 3.5-sack game against the Vikings in December.
Za'Darius Smith led the NFL in total pressures with 105 in 2019. It helps when you can demolish opposing blockers from every gap. pic.twitter.com/kOKiJoqzjR
— Doug Farrar (@NFL_DougFarrar) July 16, 2020
There was no edge defender more effective in 2019 than Za’Darius Smith, and there’s no reason to think the same won’t be true in 2020.