Outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith has agreed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings, which can increase to as much as $47 million through various bonuses. This is reported by Jeremy Fowler ESPN.
Smith was fired by the Green Bay Packers earlier in the offseason to get under the salary cap and became a free agent as a result. Last week, the pass rusher agreed to a four-year, $35 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, who picked him in the fourth round of the NFL draft in 2015, but ultimately backed out on his commitment.
This will earn Smith $14 million annually going forward, well above the $8.75 million he would have received from the Ravens on average over the four-year contract term. According to a source from ESPN the Ravens thought they had reached an oral agreement with the 29-year-old, but Smith reconsidered his decision following Von Miller signed for significantly more money with the Buffalo Bills and Chandler Jones with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Ravens then apparently tried to negotiate a new contract with Smith, but the two sides mightn’t agree on a contract and he ended up signing with the Vikings. In Minnesota, he will join defensive end Danielle Hunter, who is recovering from injury, to reinforce the Vikings’ pass rush.
Smith missed almost the entire season last season and was only able to play one regular season game and one game in the playoffs, but should be fit once more for the new season. In his seven seasons with the Ravens and Packers, he has 44.5 sacks and reached the Pro Bowl in 2019 and 2020 as a member of the Packers.
