At this point, it’s fair to wonder if anybody should believe anything Za’Darius Smith says when it comes to his football career.
One year after surprising the Philadelphia Eagles by retiring from the NFL early in the regular season and just days after he seemingly committed to play for the Cleveland Browns, Smith is signing with the Atlanta Falcons.
Smith, a 3-time Pro Bowler and NFL All-Pro, was a 4th-round pick in 2015 and spent his 1st 4 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before stints. The Falcons will be the 6th team he’s played for following stints with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Browns, Detroit Lions, and Eagles.
“The Falcons are giving Za’Darius Smith a 1-year, $6M deal with incentives upside to $8M, per sources,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on Tuesday morning. “Atlanta went on an all-out blitz to get Smith, and after a successful workout on Monday, they made sure the contract was strong enough to get him to sign and join Jeff Ulbrich’s defense … Smith was in deep talks with the Browns, but Atlanta made a strong push to land the former All-Pro.”
The Falcons have faced a calamity at edge rusher since the start of training camp with 1 projected starter, Jalon Walker, out for the season after tearing his ACL and the other starter, James Pearce Jr., out for the 1st 8 games after he was suspended for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
“Much needed help at edge for Falcons, who are down two starters for first half of the season,” Fox Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman wrote on his official X account on Tuesday morning.
All Signs Pointed to Smith Joining Browns
On Sunday, it appeared Smith was set on returning to play for the Cleveland Browns, where he
“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,” Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot wrote on Sunday. “If all goes planned, he should be signed by Sunday. Smith, 33, passed his physical and is ready to get back in the game after retiring give games into the season last year with the Eagles. The Browns actually hoped to sign Smith last month before they pursued Jadeveon Clowney, but the two sides couldn’t reach an agreement at that time. Now, Smith is ready to return to Cleveland to be a key part of the pass-rush rotation, joining Jared Verse, Alex Wright and Isaiah McGuire.”
Smith played for the Browns in 2023 and 2024 and signed a 1-year, $4.25 million contract with the Eagles before the 2025 season.
Smith’s Retirement Caught Eagles by Surprise
Smith, 33, played in just 5 games with the Eagles, with 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
“I knew this day would come — but now that it’s here, I’m feeling so many emotions I never expected,” Smith wrote on his official Instagram account Monday, October 13. “Who would’ve thought that a kid from Greenville, AL, with just one year of high school football experience, would go on to play professional football in the NFL for 11 incredible years! This game has given me the opportunity to meet great coaches, compete alongside some of the best players ever, and represent some of the greatest organizations in the league. Football has transformed my life and my family’s lives forever — and for that, I’m forever grateful … as I step into the newest season of my life, please know this game has meant the world to me. The lessons learned on and off the field will stay with me forever.”
Smith’s retirement couldn’t have come at a worse time — starter and former 1st-round pick Nolan Smith Jr. was on injured reserve with a torn triceps tendon.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Ex-Ravens Starter Ends Retirement to Sign With Falcons appeared first on HEAVY.