Smith has been traded to the Browns from the Vikings along with a 2025 sixth-round and seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round and 2025 fifth-round pick, Zac Jackson of The Athletic reports.
Smith's contract was apparently a key element in this trade for Minnesota along with the Browns' need for more defense. He will go from a 3-4 defense in Minnesota to a 4-3 in Cleveland. The veteran returned to form in 2022 during his lone season with the Vikings by accumulating 44 tackles (32 solo), including 10 sacks and a career-high five passes defended.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Return to form in 2022
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Over 16 regular-season games in 2022, Smith accumulated 44 tackles (32 solo), including 10 sacks, and a career-high five passes defended in his first campaign with the Vikings.
Smith played all but one regular-season game in 2022 after he missed nearly all of the 2021 campaign with Green Bay while recovering from back surgery. The 30-year-old edge rusher was still limited to his fewest number of defensive snaps (735) since the 2018 season, as he regularly appeared on the weekly injury report while dealing with a knee issue. While his production also slowed with just one-half sack over the final eight weeks of the regular season, he did log double-digit sacks for the third time in his career. Smith formed an effective pass-rushing duo in his first season alongside Danielle Hunter (10.5 sacks). However, it's unclear if this pairing will be kept together since the Vikings are currently $24.5 million over the cap heading into 2023.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Not listed on injury report
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Smith isn't listed on the Vikings injury report Wednesday.
Smith was inactive for the Vikings' regular-season finale due to personal reasons, but it appears he's back with the team and should suit up for Sunday's wild-card matchup against the Giants. In his first season with Minnesota, Smith has recorded 10 sacks across 16 appearances.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Questionable, but expected to play
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Smith (personal) is questionable for Sunday's matchup in Chicago, but he's still expected to play against the Bears, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Per Goessling, it's unclear if Smith will travel with the team to Chicago, but the star pass rusher is expected to join the Vikings before Sunday's game. After recording 9.5 sacks over his first nine appearances with Minnesota, Smith has mustered just half a sack across the past seven games.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Starts week limited
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Smith (knee) was listed as limited on Monday's injury report, Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune reports.
Smith was dealing with the injury heading into Sunday's loss against the Cowboys, but he did play through it. Considering the team only held a walkthrough Monday, his listing is just an estimate. However, if Smith is unable to play Thursday against the Patriots, D.J. Wonnum likely would be in line for extra opportunities.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: On track to play Sunday
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Smith (knee) is officially listed as questionable, but he's expected to play Sunday against the Cowboys, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Smith has yet to miss a game this season and is on track to maintain that streak in Week 11, but fantasy managers in IDP leagues should still confirm the linebacker's status before locking him into lineups. The Vikings don't kick off until 4:25 p.m. ET, so ideally, Minnesota will release further context on Smith's status before the first wave of games Sunday.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Deemed questionable for Sunday
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Smith (knee) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys.
Smith suffered a knee contusion during Minnesota's Week 10 win over Buffalo and was limited throughout Week 11 prep. If the star pass rusher is sidelined, D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones would be candidates for increased roles.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Limited again Thursday
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Smith (knee) was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Smith has now logged back-to-back limited sessions to open Week 11 prep after he sustained a knee contusion during last Sunday's win over the Bills. The veteran pass rusher will have one more opportunity Friday to ramp back up to full speed, otherwise he'll carry an injury designation heading into Sunday's game versus the Cowboys. If Smith is unable to gain medical clearance before the weekend, then D.J. Wonnum and Patrick Jones would be in line for additional snaps.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Returns versus Arizona
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Smith (knee) returned to Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Smith exited shortly before the end of the second quarter with a knee injury, though he was able to return on the opening series of the second half. The veteran pass rusher recorded four tackles including two sacks in the first half against Arizona.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Limited in practice Wednesday
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Smith (knee) was listed as a limited participant on the Vikings' injury report Wednesday.
Smith was listed questionable before suiting up for Minnesota's Week 3 contest against New Orleans, recording one sack while playing 39 percent of the team's defensive snaps. The 30-year-old tallied eight tackles, including two sacks, while playing at least 72 percent of defensive snaps over the first three weeks of the season, so his status will be worth monitoring heading into Sunday's game against Chicago.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Active for London game
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Smith (knee) is active for Sunday's contest against the Saints.
Smith was officially listed as questionable for Sunday's matchup in London, but he will take the field against Andy Dalton. New Orleans is operating with a depleted offense, as Alvin Kamara (ribs) and Michael Thomas (foot) are both out, not to mention Jameis Winston (back). That should put Smith in good position for success even if his reps end up being limited.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Not practicing Wednesday
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Smith (knee) didn't practice Wednesday.
Smith played a season-high 61 defensive snaps during the team's Week 3 win over the Lions, but he presumably picked up a knee issue as well. His absence Wednesday is concerning, especially given he's coming off a season-long back injury, but the veteran pass rusher will still have two more opportunities to practice before Minnesota needs to make a decision on his status for Week 4.
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Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Headed to Minnesota
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Smith signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Vikings on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Smith was released by the Packers in mid-March and appeared to have quickly signed a new contract to reunite with the Ravens. However, for an undisclosed reason that deal fell through, so the former All-Pro pass rusher returned to the open market where he was courted by his former team's division rival. Smith missed nearly all of 2021 while recovering from back surgery, but he did return for Green Bay's final playoff game and even recorded a sack during the loss to San Francisco. Before the injury-plagued 2021 campaign, he recorded back-to-back double-digit sack seasons with the Packers and figures to provide a powerful one-two punch with Danielle Hunter (pectoral) during the 2022 campaign.
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Ravens' Za'Darius Smith: Back for second stint in Baltimore
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Smith agreed Wednesday with the Ravens on a four-year contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The contract reportedly is for $35 million, with another $15 million available in incentives. Smith thus returns to the team that drafted him in the fourth round back in 2015, reaching an agreement with the Ravens just two days after the Packers released him. A back injury (and subsequent surgery) limited Smith to one regular-season game and one playoff game in 2021, but prior to that, he had 13.5 and 12.5 sacks in his first two seasons with the Packers. He'll turn 30 years old in September and is locked in as a starting outside linebacker for Baltimore.
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Za'Darius Smith: Cut loose by Green Bay
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The Packers released Smith on Monday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic reports.
The move has been rumored for the past couple months, with Smith previously scheduled for a non-guaranteed $14.5 million base salary in 2022, the final year of the four-year, $66 million contract he signed in March 2019. The Packers signed fellow edge rusher Preston Smith right around the same time, then drafted Rashan Gary in the first round a month and a half later. They'll now move forward with Gary and Preston Smith as their top pass rushers, having signed the latter to a four-year contract extension shortly before Za'Darius was released. The 29-year-old free agent shouldn't have much trouble drumming up interest, considering he had 13.5 sacks in 2019 and 12.5 in 2020 before a back injury limited him to one game in 2021.
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Packers' Za'Darius Smith: Expected to play
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The Packers are expected to activate Smith (back) from injured reserve for Saturday's game against the 49ers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
The Packers may get two of their best players back from lengthy absences this week, with CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder) listed as questionable on the final injury report. Alexander last played Week 4 and Smith in Week 1, with the pass rusher undergoing back surgery in late September. It's unclear what kind of workload Smith is expected to handle in his first game back, assuming he is in fact activated from IR.
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Packers' Za'Darius Smith: Returns to practice
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The Packers have designated Smith (back) for return from IR, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Smith will practice Wednesday, which is an encouraging step in his recovery from back surgery. Smith has been on injured reserve since Green Bay's season opener, and with the team beginning the postseason with a bye week, he will have a bit more time ramp up his on-field activity.
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Packers' Za'Darius Smith: Set to practice this week
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Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday he expects Smith (back) to return to practice Wednesday, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Smith has been on injured reserve since playing limited snaps in the season opener, and he subsequently underwent back surgery in early October. The 29-year-old hasn't practiced in months, so he'll likely need to work his way back into game shape before having a chance of being activated. The Packers have a bye for the opening round of the playoffs, and it remains to be seen if Smith will be ready to play in the first postseason game.
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Packers' Za'Darius Smith: Hoping to return in Week 14
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Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that the Packers are hopeful Smith (back) can return in Week 14, Mike Spofford of the Packers' official site reports.
Smith has been sidelined since the first week of the season and underwent back surgery at the end of November, but the Packers have remained optimistic that he will be able to return this season. When asked if Smith will be available in Week 14, LaFleur said, "certainly we hope so," and "we'll see where we're at on Wednesday." So, while there continues to be optimism surrounding a potential return against the Bears on Sunday Night Football, there likely won't be any official update to Smith's status until Wednesday at the earliest.
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Packers' Za'Darius Smith: Activated from NFI list
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The Packers activated Smith (back) from the non-football injury list Monday, Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette reports.
Smith is participating in Monday's practice, which is a very good sign for his recovery progress. It doesn't appear that the Packers are very concerned about Smith's availability for Week 1, if at all, but it remains to be seen if the 28-year-old will suit up for Saturday's preseason matchup against the Jets.
