It didn’t take long for Za’Darius Smith to feel at home after his free agent visit with the Minnesota Vikings.
After meeting with the team on Monday, it was announced Tuesday that the two sides have agreed to a 3-year, $42 million contract. The total value of the deal could reach $47 million if Smith reaches all performance incentives.
Smith spent the last three years with the Packers, but he was limited to just one game in 2021 due to a back issue that required surgery last October. Prior to last season’s injury-riddled campaign, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons with Green Bay.
Smith has been one of the NFL’s premier disruptors since 2019, leading all players with 93 quarterback pressures over that span. He totaled 26 sacks in 32 games over 2019-2020. His defensive coordinator those seasons was Mike Pettine, who is now an assistant head coach for Kevin O’Connell.
The Vikings hope a Smith-Danielle Hunter tandem can wreak havoc in opponent’s offensive backfields. The team has invested a considerable amount of money in Hunter, but he has been plagued by injuries as well, appearing in just seven games over the last two seasons.
