After a turbulent period of freedom, Za’Darius Smith returned to NFC North.
The Minnesota Vikings and the winger rusher have agreed to a three-year contract with a base value of $42 million, worth up to $47 million in incentives, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero said Tuesday, according to people briefed on the deal. The Vikings later officially announced the move.
After the Green Bay Packers released Smith, Smith initially agreed to a four-year, $35 million ($50 million maximum) deal to return to Baltimore. But after the agreement, Smith opted out of the contract and decided not to sign with the Ravens.
The decision to walk away from his $8.75 million a year contract in Baltimore came after von Miller ($20 million a year in Buffalo) and Chandler Jones ($17 million a year in Las Vegas) agreed to their new contracts.
Okay doc earned Smith a big paycheck. An average of $14 million a year is what Randy Gregory signed in Denver this offseason. The deal also allows the 29-year-old to try out as a free agent again in three seasons.
When Smith is healthy, he is an athletic demon. In his first two seasons at Green Bay, he earned 26 sacks and won two consecutive Pro Bowls. Due to a back injury in 2021, he only took 17 snaps in the regular season. He returned for the Packers’ postseason game and earned a sack.
For the Vikings, this signing could be an explosion or a bust, which this offseason desperately needed an infusion of defensive talent. Teaming Smith with Danielle Hunter gives Minnesota two dynamic forwards who can win heads-up. Of course, the biggest issue for both is health.
While remaining with NFC North, Smith will face his former club Packers twice a year.