By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The Minnesota Vikings have traded linebacker Za’Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns. Smith had requested a trade from the Vikings earlier this year.
Smith spent one season with the Vikings before the trade. Last offseason, he had agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens.
Then something happened with the Ravens deal. And he ultimately signed with the Vikings.
The Browns get Smith, a 2025 sixth round draft pick, and a 2025 seventh round draft pick. The Vikings received a 2024 fifth round draft pick and a 2025 fifth round draft pick.
With this trade, Smith has agreed to a re-worked deal. He will make $11.75 million in his lone season in Cleveland before becoming a free agent in March 2024.
Smith joins a Browns defense that already has stud rusher Myles Garrett. Now, Smith will be rushing either off the opposite side or through the middle.
The 30-year-old — who will be 31 on September 8th — appeared in 16 games with the Vikings. He made 16 starts.
Smith had 44 tackles on the season. He also had 15 tackles for a loss and 24 quarterback hits.
He also had 10.0 sacks. Smith had one forced fumble and five pass deflections.
The 10.0 sacks were the most he had in a season since the 2020 season. He had 12.5 sacks with the Green Bay Packers.
The 10.0 sacks were just the third time in his career that he had double digits in sacks in a season.
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