Getty Green Bay Packers edge rusher Za'Darius Smith chases down Kirk Cousins on December 23, 2019.
The Green Bay Packers parted ways with linebacker Za’Darius Smith Monday, and it didn’t take long for rival franchises to come knocking at the pass rusher’s door.
Within a matter of hours, Smith had been linked to two teams in the AFC North Division — the Browns and the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore drafted Smith in 2015, where the two-time Pro Bowl selection played the first four seasons of his NFL career. He joined the Packers in 2019 and spent the subsequent three years in Green Bay prior to his release on March 14.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN was first to report the interest in Smith Monday morning.
Za’Darius Smith is a very intriguing name in the free agent pass-rush market. AFC North is one to watch — Ravens are an old home, and Browns have done their homework on him.
“Za’Darius Smith is a very intriguing name in the free agent pass-rush market,” Fowler wrote. “AFC North is one to watch — Ravens are an old home, and Browns have done their homework on him.”
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Smith Likely to Earn Another Big Payday After Hitting Free Agency
GettyZa’Darius Smith, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, reacts after a play against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Lambeau Field on January 12, 2020 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Smith could have remained with Green Bay this season and played out the final year of his contract, but he ultimately chose to hit the open market instead.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the details of the pass rusher’s split from the Packers Monday morning.
“Za’Darius Smith had the option to stay at this year’s owed cash amount, but both sides ultimately agreed it was best to move on,” Schefter tweeted. “With the release, he carries no compensatory selection implications, which will help his interest.”
In the end, Smith’s departure was about money. He represented the second-biggest hit against Green Bay’s salary cap in 2022 at $28.1 million, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. The Packers’ release of Smith creates more than $15 million in space this offseason, though the team is still on the hook for a dead cap hit of approximately $12.5 million.
On Smith’s end, he can pursue a multi-year deal with more guaranteed dollars from the Browns, the Ravens or any other interested franchise. Pass rusher is a premium position in the NFL, and Spotrac estimates Smith’s value at $16.7 million annually.
Smith appeared in just one regular season game for the Packers in 2021, missing most of the campaign with a back injury that ultimately required surgery. However, he amassed 26 total sacks and 60 quarterback hits during the two seasons prior, both of which ended in Pro Bowl selections.
The pass rusher was able to return to the field in time for the Packers’ playoff matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Smith showed he still had the skill set to play at a high level, tallying a sack in his first game back after missing nearly the entire year to that point.
Packers Sign 2 Defenders to Long-Term Deals Monday
GettyZa’Darius Smith is no longer a member of the Green Bay Packers.
While Smith may have continued to prove a valuable asset to Green Bay as he did in 2019 and 2020, general manager Brian Gutekunst ultimately decided to go another way with the defense.
The Packers signed inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell to a five-year, $50 million contract on Monday, per Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated. The massive investment comes after Campbell joined the team last season on a one-year deal worth just $2 million. He ended the year with a First-Team All Pro selection.
Huber also reported Monday that Green Bay signed pass rusher Preston Smith to a four-year, $52.5 million extension. He is now under contract through 2026 and can earn more than $70 million over that five-year stretch if he hits all of his incentives, most of which are based on annual sack totals.