Za'Darius Smith is signing with the Atlanta Falcons. The agreement is a one-year deal that is worth $6 million. He was among the premier free agents left on the market and should help the Falcons' defensive line heading into the new season.
The 33-year-old Smith seemed primed to retire after last season but changed course there as well. He briefly retired in October of 2025. Smith made somewhat of a 180 after expectations were that he would sign with the Cleveland Browns earlier this month. The Browns, who traded Myles Garrett this offseason, needed to boost their defensive line in order to not finish dead last in a highly competitive AFC North. That will be their trajectory without Garrett or Smith to rely upon.
Smith has been a stud during his lengthy NFL career. He was originally a fourth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, having been selected by the Baltimore Ravens. While he didn't start as a rookie, he did manage 5.5 sacks that first season. Smith really blossomed after he left the Ravens and joined the Green Bay Packers in 2019. He went for 13.5 sacks and his first Pro Bowl appearance.
That said, Jordan Schultz, along with many others, reported this news about Smith's signing.
Sources: The #Falcons are signing 3x Pro Bowl OLB Za’Darius Smith to a 1-year deal.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 18, 2026
Smith was in deep talks with the #Browns, but Atlanta made a strong push to land the former All-Pro in a deal done by @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports. pic.twitter.com/GfJVODZD5E
Smith had a letdown of a season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, starting two games and competing in five total. He ended with 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The season prior, in 2024, he started 16 games, so it's not like Smith is that far removed from being a full-time starter for a playoff-competing organization.
The Falcons have the offense to be a quality side, and with Smith, they may be able to boost their defense enough to claw out a few extra wins as well.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Za'Darius Smith flips from Browns and signs one-year deal with Falcons