Getty Outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith #55 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after a sack during the 1st quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the San Francisco 49ersat Lambeau Field on January 22, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The Minnesota Vikings made their biggest move of free agency on Tuesday.
After meeting with former Green Bay Packers pass rusher Za’Darius Smith on Monday, the Vikings and Smith agreed to terms on a three-year, $42 million contract, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported on March 22.
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Source confirms that free-agent pass rusher Za’Darius Smith has agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract with the #Vikings. It could be worth as much as $47 million with incentives.
Smith earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors in 2019 and 2020 and a second-team All-Pro mention in 2020. He averaged 13 sacks each of those seasons with the Packers.
The 29-year-old pass rusher is set to join forces with Danielle Hunter to form one of the most formidable pass-rushing duos in the NFL. The pair led the NFL in pressures in 2019, with Smith leading the league with 93 pressures and Hunter posting a second-best 88 pressures, per Pro Football Focus.
Smith, who was limited to just two games last season due to a back injury, can earn upwards of $47 million with incentives embedded in his contract.
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Vikings Capitalize on Packers, Ravens Blunders
Despite being out for most of the 2021 season, Smith wasn’t forced to free agency.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on March 14 that Smith, who was released that day by the Packers, “had the option to stay at this year’s owed cash amount, but both sides ultimately agreed it was best to move on. Expected to have every interest league-wide.”
Smith decided to enter free agency and garnered a four-year, $35 million deal that could have been worth upwards of $50 million with the Baltimore Ravens, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported.
But after Von Miller and Chandler Jones struck lucrative deals that reset the market at pass rusher, Smith and his agent proposed a new deal that the Ravens passed on, leading to Smith’s visit with the Vikings on March 21.
The Vikings secured Smith to a deal worth $14 million a year before incentives, while Smith made an average annual salary of $16.7 million with the Packers. The yearly average of his contract ranks 19th among pass rushers, per OverTheCap.
A cap-creating move is on the horizon for the Vikings, who need to create cap space before officially signing Smith — most likely a contract restructure with Hunter.
Smith Pays Homage to Purple People Eaters
Minnesota rolled out the red carpet for Smith’s visit on Tuesday — an experience he cherished throughout the day on social media.
The Vikings welcomed him by projecting a graphic on the scoreboard at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minn.
Za’Darius Smith visiting the Vikings.
(Also, can’t imagine the Packers ever advertising which players are making free-agent visits – not saying it’s good or bad, just saying it would never happen)
Later that day, Smith tweeted the famous Purple People Eaters’ catchphrase “Meet at the quarterback.”
“Meet at the Quarterback”😁
Smith will look to recapture the Vikings defensive front’s former glory with Hunter and him as the team’s premier pass rushers. Third-year pass rushers D.J. Wonnum and Kenny Willekes figure to play roles on the edge with second-year prospects Janarius Robinson and Patrick Jones II. Meanwhile, Dalvin Tomlinson and Harrison Phillips will be vital forces on the defensive interior along with Armon Watts and James Lynch.
A plus to signing Smith: Green Bay will not receive any compensatory draft picks for Smith finding a new home in Minnesota because the Packers released him.