Former Cleveland Browns Star Shockingly Remains Unsigned

This former Cleveland Browns star is somehow still available in NFL free agency.

Dec 8, 2013; Foxborough, MA, USA; A Cleveland Browns helmet sits on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of New England's 27-26 win at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The meat of the NFL free-agent period is long gone, and yet, there are still some very intriguing players without homes. That includes former Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

The fact that Smith is still without a team is shocking based on the year he had last season, when he racked up 35 tackles and nine sacks in 17 games between the Browns and Detroit Lions.

Smith began the 2024 campaign in Cleveland before being traded to the Lions at the deadline. He was the cut by Detroit shortly after the season, even though he was very productive during his time in the Motor City.

Given the primacy placed on pass rushers in the modern NFL, you would have certainly thought that an experienced veteran who rattled off nine sacks last season would have found a home by now, but nevertheless, Smith still remains available.

The 32-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Kentucky, was originally selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Smith spent the first four years of his career with the Ravens before making his way to the Green Bay Packers in 2019, where he broke out with back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances after totaling 13.5 and 12.5 sacks, respectively, during his first two seasons in the tundra.

The Montgomery, Al. native spent three seasons with the Packers overall before heading to the Minnesota Vikings for one year in 2022. He then joined the Browns for a season-and-a-half.

Overall, Smith has earned three trips to the Pro Bowl, logging three double-digit sack campaigns. He will certainly land somewhere for 2025, but the fact that it has taken this long is strange, to say the least.

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