The Philadelphia Eagles have signed veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith to strengthen their pass rush. The move was made after fullback Ben VanSumeren was placed on Injured Reserve following a knee injury he sustained during the opening kickoff of Thursday night’s win.
Za’Darius Smith, 32, is entering his 11th season in the NFL. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, having been chosen twice with the Green Bay Packers and most recently in 2022 with the Minnesota Vikings. Smith was named a second-team All-Pro with the Packers in 2020. Last season, he began playing for the Cleveland Browns before being traded to the Detroit Lions, finishing the year with nine sacks.
After joining the Lions in Week 11, Smith played at least 30 snaps in all but one of eight regular-season games. During that period, he ranked fourth in the league with 34 quarterback pressures and fifth in quarterback pressure rate (16.7 percent among players with at least 150 pass rushes), according to Next Gen Stats.
Smith has recorded three seasons with double-digit sack totals, including a career-high of 13.5 sacks in 2019. Over his career, which includes time with five different teams before arriving in Philadelphia, Smith has demonstrated an ability to adapt to various defensive schemes.
He will join an edge group led by third-year player Nolan Smith and second-year pro Jalyx Hunt. Other members of this unit include Joshua Uche, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Azeez Ojulari.
Smith was originally selected by the Baltimore Ravens as a fourth-round pick out of Kentucky. His career statistics include 69 sacks, 173 quarterback hits, 85 tackles for loss, and ten forced fumbles across 140 regular-season games (96 starts). He has contributed to two defenses that finished No.1 overall during his tenure.
“Smith brings veteran experience and depth to an edge room that’s led by third-year player Nolan Smith and second-year pro Jalyx Hunt,” said Matt Ryan.
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