Most NFL free agent dealings these days are done long distance. Actual visits are a bit of a rarity. The Minnesota Vikings have rolled out the purple carpet for a player. Recently released Green Bay Packers edge rusher Za’Darius Smith is receiving royal treatment from the Vikings. News of the visit popped yesterday. He arrived at TCO Performance Center in the late afternoon. He’s supposed to be there this morning. Hopefully, he’s there now making progress on a happy contract. This free agency visit has fans of the team in a frenzy. Much of that frenzy has been generated by Smith. He captured the visit with the Vikings in an Instagram story and posted this squeal-worthy tweet:
“Meet at the quarterback”
This clear acknowledgement of the Vikings’ pass-rushing history was adorned with a smiling emoji. None of this is the equal of a signed contract but it has even the most pessimistic fan on the edge of their seat. It’s been said that nothing is real until it’s posted on social media. Za’Darius Smith is making this dance with the Vikings very real and very exciting.
Wining and dining Za’Darius Smith is a big free agency swing for the Vikings. This is the sort of swing that many in the media and nearly all fans were beginning to think that the Vikings weren’t willing or able to make. There was reportedly considerable hand-wring over what to do with expensive and brilliant (when healthy) pass rusher Danielle Hunter. It’s a little surprising to see the Vikings pursuing another potentially expensive and brilliant (when healthy) pass rusher. Smith missed all but one regular season game in 2021. Prior to that, he’d racked up 26 sacks and ridiculous pressure numbers over his first two seasons with the Packers. Those pass rush numbers had Smith and Hunter as the best in the league at harassing quarterbacks in 2019. “Meet at the quarterback.” It’s exciting to imagine both in purple.
The Vikings aren’t alone in the pursuit of Smith. The Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly very interested. The Baltimore Ravens actually had an agreement with him last week. That seemed like a done deal until Smith said that it wasn’t. Who knows what happened there? Who knows if the team that drafted him in 2015 is still lurking? They probably aren’t as breakups like that are difficult to forget. At this moment, it looks like the race to sign Smith is between the Vikings, Cowboys, and Chiefs. The Vikings are in the lead as he’s in Minneapolis now. They also might have another edge. His defensive coordinator in Green Bay, Mike Pettine, and position coach, Mike Smith, are currently employed by the Vikings. All of that is nice. All of that is fuel for the frenzy. It means nothing until an agreement is reached. If the fiasco with the Ravens reveals anything, it means nothing until a contract is signed.
Hopefully, Za’Darius Smith’s time as a free agent ends today. Hopefully, he doesn’t leave Minneapolis without signing a contract.
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