The Cleveland Browns appeared ready to sign edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in NFL free agency to begin this week. But after Monday, Smith seems to still be shopping his services.
According to the NFL transaction wire, the veteran edge rusher visited the Atlanta Falcons for a tryout Monday.
The workout came four days after Smith tried out for the Browns and about 24 hours after Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot conveyed Smith returning to the Browns nearly a done deal.
“The Browns hosted their former edge rusher Za’Darius Smith for a tryout on Thursday, and it proved to be a fit for both sides,” Cabot wrote Sunday. “He’s expected to fly to Cleveland on Sunday, and if all goes planned, he should be under contract shortly thereafter.”
Smith started 25 games for the Browns from 2023-24. Cleveland traded the edge rusher to the Detroit Lions at the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
In those 25 games, Smith registered 10.5 sacks with 14 tackles for loss and 27 quarterback hits.
Edge Rusher Za’Darius Smith Tries Out for Falcons
GettyVeteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith worked out for the Atlanta Falcons on Monday just one day after reportedly closing in on a deal with the Cleveland Browns.
Smith working out for the Falcons took the NFL by surprise. It’s understandable, though, that Atlanta would be interested in the veteran edge rusher.
The Falcons announced on August 5 that 2025 first-round pick and edge rusher Jalon Walker would miss the entire 2026 campaign. Walker suffered a torn ACL at training camp practice.
Atlanta will also be without fellow 2025 first-rounder and edge rusher James Pearce Jr. for the first half of 2026. The NFL suspended Pearce for eight games because he violated the league’s personal conduct policy.
In other words, the Falcons badly need to bolster their pass rush. Smith is one of the best edge rushers remaining on the open market.
Last season, Smith posted 1.5 sacks with two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in five games for the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the Green Bay Packers in 2020, Smith made second-team All-Pro. He set a career-high with 13.5 sacks during 2019, which was his first Pro Bowl season.
Smith last made the Pro Bowl with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
Browns Already Missed on Bringing Back Veteran DE
GettyThe Cleveland Browns tried to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney but he elected to return to the Houston Texans.
Should Smith spurn the Browns to sign with the Falcons, the move will be all too familiar for Cleveland. Smith is the second veteran edge rusher the Browns have attempted to reunite with since training camp started.
Jadeveon Clowney visited Cleveland for a workout in late July. On July 30, Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters the team was trying to sign Clowney.
On August 2, the veteran signed a 1-year deal with the Houston Texans.
The good news is the Browns weren’t counting on Smith or Clowney returning to help the team in the long run. Adding a veteran pass rusher, though, would be a nice move for Cleveland with the team trying to replace Defensive Player of the Year winner Myles Garrett.
Smith appears to be gaining a reputation as an untrustworthy NFL free agent. The veteran signed a 1-year, $9 million deal with the Eagles on September 5 last year. A little more than a month later, Smith retired from the league.
The edge rusher began his return bid late in the spring. The Eagles released Smith from their reserve/retired list, which made him a free agent on June 10.
Browns Get Potential Plot Twist in Za’Darius Smith Signing