Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns again turned to the Minnesota Vikings for front-seven help. Earlier in the offseason, the Browns signed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. Yesterday, the Vikings traded edge rusher Za’Darius Smith to the Browns. Browns beat-writer Mary Kay Cabot called it a “blocker-buster” deal for the Browns. I’m not sure that a trade of a player for Day 3 picks is truly a “block-buster.” The DesShaun Watson trade was a blockbuster. This was a trade. In May. Anyway, the trade went something like this:

Vikings get:

2024 fifth-round pick

2025 fifth-round pick

Browns get:

2025 sixth-round pick

2025 seventh-round pick

It’s a strange deal. It’s a strange deal because this is 2023 and three of the picks involved in the deal are in 2025. Whatever. The Vikings gained salary cap space that they desperately needed and Smith got a new team and free agency in 2024. The Browns got a pass rusher to pair with Myles Garrett. It’s a nice pairing. I was thrilled last offseason when Smith was going to play opposite Danielle Hunter. The out-going Smith and the quiet Hunter. I really think that Smith brought a lot out of Hunter. On the field and off. It was a nice pairing for a year. Garrett and the Browns are going to love Za’Darius Smith. He’s motivated. He’s looking for that next contract. Perhaps a final contract. 

Best of luck to the Browns and Smith. 

The Vikings were probably moving forward the moment Smith posted his premature good-bye on social media. They agreed to terms with New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Marcus Davenport during the tampering window. I have to admit. I really liked the potential of a pass rushing trio of Hunter, Smith, and Davenport. With the Vikings salary cap constraints, having Hunter, Smith, and Davenport on the roster wasn’t realistic. 

I was hoping for a fourth.

I believe that the Vikings had earlier plans to deal with Za’Darius Smith and his contract. He and that deal were a great thing in 2022. They weren’t such a great thing in 2023. I believe that Smith mucked everything up with his idiot social media post. He thanked the Vikings, the players, and the fans for his single year in Minnesota. He did that despite being under contract with the Vikings for the next two years. He made it seem like an amicable decision had already been made. That decision hadn’t been made and it was a very strange thing to do. Damn near every player is upset with their contract a year after they signed it. The Vikings defense was better with Smith on it. But he didn’t want to be there. At some point, a team has to move forward with the players that want to be on the team. In reality, the Vikings needed the salary cap space more than they needed Smith. 

Right now, I’d rather see Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport on the edge of the Vikings defense. Or Andre Carter II. Or Patrick Jones. Or D.J. Wonnum. Or Luiji Vilain.