Former Eagles Pass Rusher Eyes NFL Return After Unretirement Decision

The Philadelphia Eagles are entering what feels like a very important season in 2026. After a wild card exit in the playoffs last year, the Eagles need to make a deeper playoff run in order to keep their fans and the front office happy. While there’s still a lot of work to be done between now and the start of the regular season, Philly has put together some solid work early on in training camp.

One of the team’s biggest goals this offseason involved finding some help in the pass rush department, which led to the acquisition of Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. As folks will remember from last year, one of the team’s top pass rushers, Za’Darius Smith, opted to retire from football early in the year, but after surprisingly deciding to unretire, he has taken a big step towards making his return to the NFL.

Za’Darius Smith Takes Free Agent Visit With Browns

A fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Smith made a career for himself as a pass-rush specialist, spending time with several different teams. Along the way, he’s earned three Pro Bowl selections and a spot on the All-Pro Second Team in 2020, which was the best season of his career (52 tackles, 12.5 sacks, two pass breakups, four forced fumbles).

Smith latched on with the Eagles right before the start of the 2025 campaign, but his usage patterns immediately raised concerns. While he picked up 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks in five games, Smith decided to retire in October, leaving Philadelphia in a tough spot when it came to finding players who could get after the quarterback.

The front office managed to address that need this offseason, but it will surely be intrigued to see that Smith is planning a return to the NFL. Reports emerged on Thursday afternoon indicating that, now that he has officially unretired, Smith is taking a free agent visit with one of his former teams, the Cleveland Browns.

“Free agent pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith, who recently un-retired with the possibility of playing, worked out for the Browns today,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X.

Za’Darius Smith’s Unretirement Decision Will Catch Eagles’ Attention

GettyPhiladelphia Eagles edge rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Considering how Smith’s time with the Eagles unfolded, he probably isn’t remembered too fondly by fans, as he left the team in a tough spot when he decided to retire. That’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes, though, and with Greenard in tow now, you can make an argument that the pass rush is significantly improved (assuming he can stay healthy, of course).

There’s no guarantee Smith will be returning to the NFL, but he seems intent on finding his way back ahead of the 2026 campaign. A return to the Eagles almost certainly will not happen, but several other teams are expected to show interest in him alongside the Browns, and given his ties to Philly, fans will likely be keeping close tabs on his status as he attempts to find his way back into the league.

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