The Vikings have made another move to clear cap space.
The Cleveland Browns are adding three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za’Darius Smith in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings a league source confirmed to 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland.
NFL Network was first to report the Browns agreed to acquire Smith.
Cleveland will also receive a 2025 sixth and seventh round pick in the trade that will see Minnesota receive a 2024 and 2025 fifth round pick from the Browns in return the source said.
As part of the trade, the Browns re-negotiated Smith’s contract. He’ll receive $11.75 million this year and can become a free agent next March. He had just signed a three-year, $42 million contract last year with the Vikings.
It had been known this offseason that Smith was unhappy. The Star Tribune reported he had sold his home in Eagan plus hired a new agent.
The move will help the salary cap-strapped Vikings who still need to get first round draft pick Jordan Addison signed to contract.
Smith registered 10 sacks, 24 QB hits, 15 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and a forced fumble in 16 games – all starts – for the Vikings in 2022.
Over eight seasons combined with the Ravens, Packers and Vikings Smith has racked up 54.5 sacks, 136 QB hits, 68 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, a pair of fumble recoveries and 12 pass breakups.
Already this offseason, the Vikings have moved on from longtime wide receiver Adam Thielen, restructured their contract with safety Harrison Smith and have reportedly been interested in dealing running back Dalvin Cook in order to shed some large salary cap numbers.
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