The Vikings are adding a former Green Bay Packer once again. Za’Darius Smith has agreed to a free agent deal with the Vikings and will team with Danielle Hunter to give the team a ferocious edge rushing tandem.
That’s if Smith is healthy. He was injured most of the 2021 season and played only 17 snaps in the regular season. He was healthy enough to return for the playoffs but was then released by the Packers who were trying to create more salary cap room.
Smith agreed to terms on a three-year contract with a base value of $42 million, worth up to $47 million in incentives.
In his first two seasons in Green Bay, he generated 26 sacks and made back-to-back Pro Bowls. If Smith and Hunter can remain healthy it will give the Viking defense an outside rush that is athletic and fast as any in the league.
After being released by the Packers, Smith initially agreed to a four-year, $35 million deal with Baltimore. But after the agreement, Smith seemingly changed his mind on the contract and decided not to sign with the Ravens.
The Viking defense entered the offseason with several holes to fill from a unit that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in most statistics. New Defensive Coordinator Ed Donatell plans to implement a new scheme that will move the Vikings to a 3-4 scheme which will put Smith in a position he’s familiar with from playing in Green Bay. New Vikings assistant head coach Mike Pettine was Green Bay's defensive coordinator during Smith’s 2019 and 2020 seasons when he had 26 sacks and led the entire league with 93 pressures in 2019.
Hunter, who was reportedly on the trading block but ultimately will stay with the Vikings, has been injured for the better part of the last two seasons. It was a neck injury in 2020 that kept Hunter out, and then a torn pectoral muscle after the loss to the Cowboys in week 7 ended his season. When healthy Hunter is ranked as one of the best edge rushers in the league.
A healthy Hunter, teaming up with Smith is a nightmare scenario for offenses.
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