Za’Darius Smith is back in the NFL, and his next stop is Atlanta.
The former Eagles edge rusher signed with the Falcons on Tuesday, the team announced, ending a retirement that lasted only a few months. Smith, now 33, spent five games in Philadelphia last season before stepping away from football.
Philadelphia brought him in last September after a Week 1 win over the Dallas Cowboys, looking for help in an edge-rusher group that had been thinned out by Nolan Smith’s injury. Smith delivered a little of that relief, posting 1 1/2 sacks in his five appearances.
Then came the surprise. Smith decided to retire, writing at the time: “I knew this day would come, but now that it’s here, I’m feeling so many emotions I never expected,” Smith wrote at the time.
“... Football has transformed my life and my family’s lives forever - and for that, I’m forever grateful.”
That retirement turned out to be brief. The Eagles removed him from the reserve/retired list in June, which made him a free agent again.
After a visit with the Cleveland Browns, Smith landed a one-year deal with Atlanta worth $6 million.
The move gives the Falcons another pass-rush option at a time when they badly need one. Atlanta recently lost Jalon Walker, who is dealing with an ACL injury, and James Pearce, who is suspended, for an extended stretch.
Smith will also be reunited with Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, who previously coached him with the Browns.
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Za'Darius Smith Just Reopened A Frustration Eagles Fans Know Well
ZaDarius Smith is back in the news, and for Eagles fans it brings a familiar mix of what-ifs and unfinished business. After spending last season in Philadelphia and appearing in five games before retiring, the veteran edge rusher had been tied to a potential return to Cleveland, where he previously worked with Kevin Stefanski, only for his next step to shift in a different direction after a workout.
Now the Falcons are the team making the move, a sign of how quickly the edge-rush market can change when injuries and suspensions start thinning a depth chart. For the Eagles, it is another reminder of how brief Smiths stint in Philly was and how often his career seems to send him back into the spotlight just when one landing spot looks settled. [Read more 🡒]
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Smith was back in a helmet and getting in some position work after the hamstring issue that had slowed him, a small but encouraging step for a passing game that still needs its top targets available and sharp. Lemon, meanwhile, stayed out of the full session but kept moving on the side field, running routes and going through the catch circuit as the Eagles continue to monitor a camp picture at wide receiver that is becoming clearer even if it is not settled yet. [Read more 🡒]