The Falcons brought veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in for a workout on Monday, according to the NFL transaction wire, giving Atlanta a look at a player with a long trail of movement and production behind him.
Smith had recently worked out for the Browns, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported they expected to sign him as early as Sunday. That didn’t happen, and he’s still weighing his options.
Atlanta makes sense as a destination on paper. Smith has worked with Falcons HC Kevin Stefanski in Cleveland, and the Falcons have a clear need for help off the edge.
His path to this point has been anything but straightforward. Smith, 33, entered the league as a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in 2015. He finished the final year of his four-year rookie deal before landing a four-year, $66 million contract with the Packers in 2019.
That stay didn’t last all the way through the contract. Smith had one year left and was due a base salary of $14,500,000 for the 2021 season when Green Bay released him.
The rest of his career has included a series of moves. Baltimore reached a four-year, $35 million agreement with Smith, but he backed out and instead signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Vikings. Minnesota later traded him to the Browns, where he agreed to a two-year, $23.5 million contract.
Cleveland then dealt Smith to the Lions along with a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Detroit released him before the final year of that deal, and he signed a one-year contract with the Eagles just before the season began.
Smith joined Philadelphia last year but retired after only a few games, and the team released his rights in June. He was placed on the reserve/retired list.
In 2025, Smith has played in five games for the Eagles and posted 10 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.
In Other News...
Falcons Just Changed The Edge Rush Market In A Big Way
The Falcons have already made one notable move on the edge, swooping in for ZaDarius Smith after the Browns had been in the mix. For Atlanta, its the kind of addition that changes the feel of a pass-rush conversation quickly, especially at a time when veteran help on the edge is still a hot topic around the league and teams are weighing how much to invest in immediate production versus longer-term planning.
Clevelands search now shifts into the next tier of options, with Joey Bosa and Haason Reddick among the names to watch as the market settles. The Browns are also being viewed through a 2026 lens, which makes every decision on the edge feel a little more complicated, and it leaves Atlantas win in this sweepstakes looking even more important as the rest of the picture continues to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Maason Smith Is Making Atlantas Most Debated Trade Look Smart
The Falcons made one of their more debated moves by sending defensive tackle Ruke Orhororo to Jacksonville for Maason Smith, and the early returns have given that swap a much different feel in Atlanta. Smith has looked like a better fit for the defensive scheme from the start, and his offseason work carried over into preseason action, where he drew positive remarks from the defensive line coach and showed up with a few notable plays in the opener.
For a team trying to sort out its front, that matters. Orhororo never really delivered the kind of impact Atlanta hoped for, while Smith has at least given the Falcons reason to believe the trade could pay off on the field rather than just on paper. There is still a long way to go before anyone declares a winner, but the direction of the deal is starting to look more favorable for Atlanta. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Face An Early Tua Test After Flat Offensive Debut
Tua Tagovailoas first outing with the Falcons did not give the offense much to build on, and the 27-7 loss to the Broncos only sharpened the focus on what comes next. Atlanta is already looking for cleaner execution under head coach Kevin Stefanski, and the early signs suggest Tagovailoa will need more time and more chances to settle in before anyone can judge the fit.
The preseason schedule does not offer much breathing room, with the Colts up next and another opportunity for Tagovailoa to show progress. Michael Penixs recovery from an ACL injury also keeps the quarterback picture in view, making these snaps matter a little more than they usually would this time of year. [Read more 🡒]