Browns trade for Za'darius Smith

[bjh2130]

Browns get smith 2025 6th and 7th

 

vikings get 2024 5th round and 2025 5th round

 

 

Smith had 10 sacks for the vikings last year and is in the last year of his deal. I like the deal as it gives us an edge rusher opposite of Garrett and he's off the books after 1 year

[tiamat63]

Wowzer.  That's quite a bit of firepower on the Dline now.   

 Despite 10 sacks, Vikes still misused ZS quite a bit at times.  I remember watching him drop quite a bit in that Colts game and playing way out of his comfort zone until Minnesota finally adjusted.  

[gumby73]

Howdy ! 🤠

This great news, comes while on my Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup Run vacation    

 

This move upgrades the Browns to perhaps the fiercest pass rush in the league.

Myles Garrett, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Za'Darius Smith

all rank in the top 20 in the NFL in pressure rate. 👀 Schwartz freight train coming your way 🚂

 

[Unsympathetic]

I for one will miss those two 5th round picks which fell all the way to the 6th round.

Instead of 10 sacks next year, we could've had a backup rugby-style punter and the best left-handed practice squad long snapper in the game!

[Dutch Oven]

No one can say the Browns haven't addressed the DLine this offseason, that's for sure. 

Very nice short-term move. 

This season is huge for the entire organization, and they definitely seem to know it. 

[gumby73]

1 hour ago, bjh2130 said:

Browns get smith 2025 6th and 7th

vikings get 2024 5th round and 2025 5th round

seems oddly similar, to what AB paid to get Deion Jones traded out of Atlanta... this years 6th & a 2024 7th..

Berry gets those picks back, along w/Smith..w/ a real cost of two 5th round picks in reality.. saving close to 4M while letting Deion Jones walk into FA.. 

gotta love media hot takes.... "Smith's agent was told to get him out of Minnesota"    

[SdBacker80]

Berry is going all in…job on the line for sure. 
 

I had no idea Smith was with Minnesota…thought he was still with the Pack 

[Jax]

It's great to have an offense that can move the ball but there's something about having a D that annihilates offenses I like better.

I know I'm setting myself up to be miserable but that's just post season Browns tradition.

[Unsympathetic]

I haven't looked at Browns cap situation lately, but the idea of leaving about 10 free each year to take on someone else's talented edge salary dump is pretty good.

 

In March 2017 Browns took on the 2018 15M salary of Brock Osweiler because Houston also gave Cleveland 2017 rd6 and 2018 rd2 picks.

In 2017 Houston went 4-12 and Cleveland was 0-fer.

That second round pick from Houston was Nick Chubb. [The earlier second round pick, Austin Corbett, was Cleveland's original rd2]

[TexasAg1969]

10 hours ago, Jax said:

It's great to have an offense that can move the ball but there's something about having a D that annihilates offenses I like better.

I know I'm setting myself up to be miserable but that's just post season Browns tradition.

You stole the echo in my head. Finally an all-in attempt to right this ship from top to bottom without losing our MVPs both sides of the ball.🏆

[nickers]

25 minutes ago, TexasAg1969 said:

You stole the echo in my head. Finally an all-in attempt to right this ship from top to bottom without losing our MVPs both sides of the ball.🏆

It all looks good on paper... But we don't play games on paper...

[Dutch Oven]

4 minutes ago, nickers said:

It all looks good on paper... But we don't play games on paper...

It's well established - you are a Browns fan that roots for the Browns to lose. We get it.

[Dutch Oven]

31 minutes ago, TexasAg1969 said:

You stole the echo in my head. Finally an all-in attempt to right this ship from top to bottom without losing our MVPs both sides of the ball.🏆

The sad thing is I still think Stefanski can sabatoge what seems like a good offseason by making some head-scratching decisions in-game. 

That and as far as I know the offense Watson seems to thrive in doesn't really resemble the offenses Kevin has coached in Minnesota and Cleveland so far. Can he evolve to take advantage of Watson's tools? 

[Korsou Dawg]

Before any discussion about the merits of this trade:

With that out of the way, kinda sucks for Ogbo and McGuire. With the both of them next to Myles, we seemed to have quite some firepower on the Edge already. Might be wrong. Given Schwartz's propensity to 4-man rush, we could see a lot of play to play rotations/ subbing to keep it going. 

[Kvoethe]

15 hours ago, tiamat63 said:

Wowzer.  That's quite a bit of firepower on the Dline now.   

 Despite 10 sacks, Vikes still misused ZS quite a bit at times.  I remember watching him drop quite a bit in that Colts game and playing way out of his comfort zone until Minnesota finally adjusted.  

So was clowney.  Seems like a quality upgrade.

[mjp28]

The Cleveland BROWNS deal with the Minnesota Vikings for Za'Darius Smith. 

From CBS Sports  -

The Minnesota Vikings have traded three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Za'Darius Smith to the Cleveland Browns, according to NFL Media. Along with Smith, the Browns received a 2025 sixth and seventh-round pick. The Vikings received 2024 and 2025 fifth-round picks. 

Smith, 30, recorded 10 sacks during his only season with the Vikings. He was previously signed through the 2024 with the Vikings with a $9.4 million base salary with $5 million guaranteed. Now, Smith will receive $11.75 million this year as part of his reworked deal. Smith will also get a chance to test free agency next year. 

In Cleveland, he will join a Browns defense that features perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Myles Garrett, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and defensive backs Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Greg Newsome II. Smith's addition fills a previous void in Cleveland left by Jadeveon Clowney's departure at the end of the 2022 season. 

Smith's loss is a considerable one for the Vikings, whose linebacker corps still includes Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport. Minnesota added to its defense via the draft when they selected cornerback Mekhi Blackmon in the third round, safety Jay Ward in the fourth round and nose.  tackle JaquelinRoy in the fifth round. 

The 122nd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Smith is familiar with the AFC North having started his career with the Ravens. A part-time starter during his four years in Baltimore, Smith hit free agency following his final season with the Ravens that saw him record a then-career-high 8.5 sacks. 

Smith signed a four-year deal with the Packers the ensuing offseason. He immediately blossomed into a Pro Bowler in Green Bay, where he recorded 13.5 sacks in 2019 and 12.5 sacks in 2020 while helping the Packers advance to the NFC Championship Game during both seasons. 

After an injury wiped out virtually his entire 2021 season (his final one with the Packers), Smith proved that he was still an elite player during his lone season in Minnesota. He played in 17 of a possible 18 games (including the playoffs) while earning his third trip to the Pro Bowl. 

[mjp28]

How did each team fare in this trade? Here's our two cents. 

Browns: A+

Cleveland needed to bolster its pass rush after having just 34 quarterback takedowns in 2022. Take away Garrett's sack total, and the Browns averaged just over one sack a game last season. That's not going to cut it in an AFC that has a wealth of elite quarterback play. 

Sure, the Browns could lose Smith after a year, but they'd get a compensatory pick for next year's draft should Smith sign elsewhere. Regardless of what happens next year, the Browns gave up little to get a Pro Bowl caliber player who can help them win now. 

Vikings: B

One would think that the Vikings would have been able to get more for a player of Smith's caliber. Despite that fact, the Vikings were able to improve their future draft capital. Smith's salary, the fact that he will be a free agent next year and the fact that we're this late in the offseason surely limited the Vikings' options. 

[syd]

win now

[mjp28]

To wrap up the bio on Za'Darius prior to coming to Cleveland  :

The 122nd pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Smith is familiar with the AFC North having started his career with the Ravens. A part-time starter during his four years in Baltimore, Smith hit free agency following his final season with the Ravens that saw him record a then-career-high 8.5 sacks. 

Smith signed a four-year deal with the Packers the ensuing offseason. He immediately blossomed into a Pro Bowler in Green Bay, where he recorded 13.5 sacks in 2019 and 12.5 sacks in 2020 while helping the Packers advance to the NFC Championship Game during both seasons. 

After an injury wiped out virtually his entire 2021 season (his final one with the Packers), Smith proved that he was still an elite player during his lone season in Minnesota. He played in 17 of a possible 18 games (including the playoffs) while earning his third trip to the Pro Bowl. 

SO there you go  ......

[Orion]

On 5/12/2023 at 9:23 PM, gumby73 said:

"Smith's agent was told to get him out of Minnesota" 

Careful what ya wish for. 

Good for us.  Nails down a spot where we have young guys needing time to evolve.  

[mjp28]

Oh BTW my nice smooth attempt to merge threads ......  lol.    

[jrb12711]

Definitely an on paper upgrade, but I'd be lying if I wasn't worried they are dealing with Clowney 2.0. Smith has had some less than ideal breakups with both the Vikings and Packers over the last two years, doing petty stuff on social media and the like. I get this is a one year "win now' move, but so was Clowney last year.    

https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-reportedly-decline-pro-bowl-lb-zadarius-smiths-request-for-release-but-he-says-goodbye-anyway-232701740.html

Maybe it's not as bad as Clowney, but IDK. Kinda feels like a "fool me once" scenario

[SdBacker80]

2 hours ago, jrb12711 said:

Definitely an on paper upgrade, but I'd be lying if I wasn't worried they are dealing with Clowney 2.0. Smith has had some less than ideal breakups with both the Vikings and Packers over the last two years, doing petty stuff on social media and the like. I get this is a one year "win now' move, but so was Clowney last year.    

https://sports.yahoo.com/vikings-reportedly-decline-pro-bowl-lb-zadarius-smiths-request-for-release-but-he-says-goodbye-anyway-232701740.html

Maybe it's not as bad as Clowney, but IDK. Kinda feels like a "fool me once" scenario

I hear ya.  You mention one year deal which I think is key.  He‘ll be 31 signing what he hopes is a multi year year deal 10 months from now.  He’s probably motivated to prove something.   I don’t see him as a workhorse though and with a 17 game schedule plus hopeful playoff rounds…I think we need to pitch count him.  I think we have enough dudes now to throw some quality snaps at as well.  Hoping of course we stay relatively healthy 
 

I don’t want excuse Clowneys behavior but Was anyone on that defense last season happy? Newsome too. And Johnson…and others (including fans) all were seemingly disgruntled.  Maybe a new chief and a better scheme changes feelings and attitudes. 

[nickers]

22 minutes ago, SdBacker80 said:

I hear ya.  You mention one year deal which I think is key.  He‘ll be 31 signing what he hopes is a multi year year deal 10 months from now.  He’s probably motivated to prove something.   I don’t see him as a workhorse though and with a 17 game schedule plus hopeful playoff rounds…I think we need to pitch count him.  I think we have enough dudes now to throw some quality snaps at as well.  Hoping of course we stay relatively healthy 
 

I don’t want excuse Clowneys behavior but Was anyone on that defense last season happy? Newsome too. And Johnson…and others (including fans) all were seemingly disgruntled.  Maybe a new chief and a better scheme changes feelings and attitudes. 

I trust Jim Schwartz to put this unit in better situations to make plays.. Whereas in Joe Woods system.. It looked like failed lab experiments week in and week out....

[Flugel]

On 5/13/2023 at 9:36 AM, Dutch Oven said:

The sad thing is I still think Stefanski can sabatoge what seems like a good offseason by making some head-scratching decisions in-game. 

That and as far as I know the offense Watson seems to thrive in doesn't really resemble the offenses Kevin has coached in Minnesota and Cleveland so far. Can he evolve to take advantage of Watson's tools? 

I agree; and I think a lot of it had to do with his playbook.  I think pass routes tree was limited at best.  The run offense was fine IMO.  1 thing I think we all agree on is that he made it so Brissett exceeded a lot of our expectations in the sense our offense was averaging over 24 points a game most of the time he started.  

The problem was we would have a long sustained scoring drive of 5 or more minutes all forgotten when the opponent could get the 7 points right back from us scoring in half that amount of time.

I'm looking forward to seeing what all the changes we've made can do to improve that in 2023.  More specifically, THIS YEAR.  I like that phrase a lot.

Edited May 15, 2023 by Flugel
typo

[SdBacker80]

29 minutes ago, Flugel said:

I agree; and I think a lot of it had to do with his playbook.  I think pass routes tree was limited at best.  The run offense was fine IMO.  1 thing I think we all agree on is that he made it so Brissett exceeded a lot of our expectations in the sense our offense was averaging over 24 points a game more most of the time he started.  

The problem was we would have a long sustained scoring drive of 5 or more minutes all forgotten when the opponent could get the 7 points right back from us scoring in half that amount of time.

I'm looking forward to seeing what all the changes we've made can do to improve that in 2023.  More specifically, THIS YEAR.  I like that phrase a lot.

I love his aggressiveness at times.  I’m the last guy on this forum to complain about going for it on 4th and short and not taking the points or doing so in your own territory.  By your own admission and our reality last year our defense gave up points - we had to score.  I was usually dumbfounded by the play call…Remember 4th and 1 and we have Chubb on the sideline and Jacoby is throwing a 40 yard pass?  
 

I don’t like the way he panics in close games in the second half.  And forgets/loses our identity…we have Chubb and maulers and we do a pass to Schwartz on a crosser 20 yards downfield and we need 3 yards…on a key third down.  I felt like the whole year we were spinning our wheels in key moments.  

He got way too cute last year and it cost us some games. 

[nickers]

34 minutes ago, SdBacker80 said:

I love his aggressiveness at times.  I’m the last guy on this forum to complain about going for it on 4th and short and not taking the points or doing so in your own territory.  By your own admission and our reality last year our defense gave up points - we had to score.  I was usually dumbfounded by the play call…Remember 4th and 1 and we have Chubb on the sideline and Jacoby is throwing a 40 yard pass?  
 

I don’t like the way he panics in close games in the second half.  And forgets/loses our identity…we have Chubb and maulers and we do a pass to Schwartz on a crosser 20 yards downfield and we need 3 yards…on a key third down.  I felt like the whole year we were spinning our wheels in key moments.  

He got way too cute last year and it cost us some games. 

This is where Kevvy fails as a gameday coach... He over thinks it...

[Flugel]

3 hours ago, SdBacker80 said:

I love his aggressiveness at times.  I’m the last guy on this forum to complain about going for it on 4th and short and not taking the points or doing so in your own territory.  By your own admission and our reality last year our defense gave up points - we had to score.  I was usually dumbfounded by the play call…Remember 4th and 1 and we have Chubb on the sideline and Jacoby is throwing a 40 yard pass?  
 

I don’t like the way he panics in close games in the second half.  And forgets/loses our identity…we have Chubb and maulers and we do a pass to Schwartz on a crosser 20 yards downfield and we need 3 yards…on a key third down.  I felt like the whole year we were spinning our wheels in key moments.  

He got way too cute last year and it cost us some games. 

Very well said.   Keep in mind, the 1st year he worked with Baker - he helped Baker finish with a TD:INT ratio of 26:8.  While that's not anywhere near the elites with TD passes per say - there wasn't a carelessness that would have prevented this team from going 11-5 .  That worked pretty good with the running game IMO.  Stefanski also got some of the best football Brissett has played out of him; so I think he CAN do it.  If we shored up some of what was missing personnel wise and we add the mind of Musgrave to the brain trust to improve some of the pass game design - he may not have to make the occasional desperate calls you alluded.  I'm also hoping somebody picked the mind of Dabo Swinney to find out what he excelled at against teams like Ohio State and Alabama (with a lot of NFL prospects on them).  

Best of all, Watson will be there from the onset of training camp without the time off he was sentenced to last year.  This will get everyone on the same page and build on it.

[Orion]

8 hours ago, jrb12711 said:

IDK. Kinda feels like a "fool me once" scenario

I like to say, A guy comes here and starts with a clean slate... but if you've got multiple NFL teams in your wake of things not ending well...then...one could argue why we would expect a different outcome.  

[Unsympathetic]

2 hours ago, Flugel said:

I'm also hoping somebody picked the mind of Dabo Swinney to find out what he excelled at against teams like Ohio State and Alabama

The name was Brent Venables on D. Dabo's O fell apart the last 2-3 yrs bc he wasn't good at ID'ing appropriate replacements for the coaches that won the 16 and 18 titles.  Swinney just hired Garrett Riley who is good enough to bring them back. To be clear he fired the guys he had internally promoted who were at lower-level jobs during 16 and 18.. this is pretty bad because he really should have known their capabilities better -- he'd already worked with them for years.

The most important skill of HC's both in college and pros is the identification [and hiring] of a good next staffer.. Bama's O was terrible last season because they employed Josh Gattis; if Tommy Rees isn't very good [and I don't think he is] then we may be seeing the "end" of the Bama dynasty because that would mean 2 pretty bad hires in consecutive years.

I happen to think Day will be just fine the next 3-4 years.. his most recent hire of Little Animal as a grad assistant is already paying recruiting dividends but the bigger question is if he can actually coach.