Ravens Reportedly Pursuing Za'Darius Smith

Baltimore is need of a pass rusher.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — There could be a Za'Darius Smith reunion in Baltimore.

The Ravens are one of the teams pursuing the outside linebacker in the free-agent market, according to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. 

Smith was a salary-cap casualty in Green Bay.

The move would make sense because Baltimore is in the market for a pass rusher after finishing in the bottom third of the league for sacks last season.

Smith, who was a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2015, also priced himself out of Baltimore in 2019 after finishing with 18.5 sacks over four seasons. 

He signed a four-year, $66 million deal with the Green Bay Packers, including a $20 million signing bonus, as a free agent in 2019.

Smith managed 26 sacks in his first two seasons but dealt with injuries last year. The Packers had to get his salary off the books because he had a $27.7 million cap hit.

Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger agrees that Smith would be a good fit in Baltimore and writes:

"Smith signed a four-year, $66 million ($16.5M per year) contract with the Packers in the 2019 offseason following the expiration of his four-year rookie contract with the Ravens. Smith’s final season in Baltimore saw him break out with career highs across the board, including his 79.3 pass-rush grade, 60 quarterback pressures and 10 sacks.

His first two seasons in Green Bay were everything the Packers could have hoped for — 144 quarterback pressures and 29 sacks — but he missed almost the entirety of the 2021 campaign to injury. Smith was reportedly unhappy with how his contract was handled prior to the season, and it’s possible he would rather be outright released so he can choose his next team. However, the thinking here is he would be excited to return to the team that drafted him, and perhaps contract particulars can get sorted out at a later date.

The Ravens are projected to have five fourth-round picks, including multiple compensatory picks, and they’ve done a good job of flipping Day 3 selections for proven starters the past few years, such as when they acquired interior defender Calais Campbell from the Jaguars for a fifth-rounder in 2020. Campbell will be 36 years old in Week 1 of 2022, though he’s shown very few signs of slowing down. Smith slots right in as a pass-rusher who can win from anywhere along the defensive line."

This is a scenario that is something to watch in the coming days.