The Green Bay Packers are going to be facing some tough decisions this offseason. A lot of the focus has been on Aaron Rodgers, and rightfully so, as his decision to finally stay with the team will impact how they move forward. Za’Darius Smith is another name that fans have had a close eye on.
The team needs to do some work fixing the salary cap. That could lead to some veterans on the roster being on the move as Green Bay will have to figure out a way to slash some salary.
One player that could be on the move via trade is Za’Darius Smith. Smith and his pass-rushing partner Preston Smith count for an exorbitant $47 million cap hit combined. To fix their cap situation, trading at least one of, if not both of them, would go a long way.
Za’Darius appeared in the first game of the season and we didn’t see him back on the field until the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers. Despite the injury, he showed he still had plenty of juice left in the tank.
Which teams could be interested in him should he be made available? Here are three teams who should pursue a trade for Smith this offseason.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles pass rush was lacking last season, to put it nicely. They finished second to last in the NFL in sacks with only 29 on the season. Long-time pass rusher Derek Barnett is also a free agent, so the team could use some talent on the edge.
With some cap space, the Eagles wouldn’t have to do much maneuvering to get Za’Darius Smith on the roster. The team needs some pass-rushing juice and Smith can provide that. In 2019 and 2020, his first two seasons in Green Bay, he recorded 26 sacks with 29 tackles for loss and 60 quarterback hits.
That kind of impact is exactly what Philadelphia could use on defense. The team took major strides in 2021 and it is time to start building on that in 2022.
2. New York Giants
Joe Schoen took over the front office for the New York Giants this offseason and he has some big plans. He wants to slash the payroll by $40 million before looking to add pieces to the mix and upgrading the roster.
Numerous players could be on the chopping block to help him attain that number. Once he does that, the pass rush will be one of the areas that he will look to upgrade. Last season edge-rushing group ranked fourth to last in pass-rushing grade.
With Don ‘Wink’ Martindale taking over as defensive coordinator, the Giants certainly need more pass rushers to make his schemes work. Za’Darius Smith would instantly provide a boost to a team with a great young pass rusher in Azeez Ojulari but little else beyond Leonard Williams.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Smith began his career with the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Kentucky. He broke out in his final season in Baltimore, registering 8.5 sacks and a reunion could be good for both sides.
Baltimore’s pass rush was anemic last season compared to years past. They totaled only 34 sacks last season and their inability to succeed on that side of the ball led to Martindale being relieved of his duties as defensive coordinator.
Without a consistent pass rush, the Ravens defense fell apart, unable to overcome the injuries in the secondary. Tyus Bowser and Odafe Oweh are two budding pass rushers, but the loss of Matt Judon to the New England Patriots hurt.
Bringing Smith back would provide the team with a veteran pass-rushing presence to help take some pressure off of the younger guys and get the defense back on track.
