The three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher is signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, worth $6 million with incentives up to $8 million.
Just two days earlier, Smith appeared headed to the Cleveland Browns instead.
Deal That Fell Apart At The Finish Line
Per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot, Smith worked out for the Browns last Thursday, and the expectation was he'd be signed by Sunday. He was reportedly "deep in talks" with Cleveland, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, and had even been scheduled to fly there to finalize the deal.
Falcons are signing OLB Za’Darius Smith to a one-year deal.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 18, 2026
Atlanta had other plans. The Falcons brought Smith in for a tryout Monday and moved fast, putting together an offer strong enough to change his mind. "Atlanta went on an all-out blitz to get Smith, and after a successful workout on Monday, they made sure the contract was strong enough to get him to sign and join Jeff Ulbrich's defense," Schultz reported.
Why He Picked Atlanta
Smith spent parts of two seasons with the Browns from 2023 to 2024 under head coach Kevin Stefanski, who is now entering his first season leading the Falcons. That existing relationship gave Atlanta an edge in the sales pitch, even against a team Smith seemed nearly committed to just days earlier.
Smith, 33, retired in October 2025 after appearing in just five games for the Philadelphia Eagles, recording 1.5 sacks. His career includes stops with the Ravens, Packers, Vikings, Browns, Lions, and Eagles, and he's compiled 70.5 career sacks and 176 quarterback hits across 145 games.
Sources: The #Falcons are signing 3x Pro Bowl OLB Za’Darius Smith to a 1-year deal.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 18, 2026
Smith was in deep talks with the #Browns, but Atlanta made a strong push to land the former All-Pro in a deal done by @ErikBurkhardt of @RocNationSports. pic.twitter.com/GfJVODZD5E
Atlanta's pass rush has been gutted by injury and suspension throughout training camp. First-round rookie Jalon Walker tore his ACL and is out for the season, and fellow first-rounder James Pearce Jr. was hit with an eight-game suspension under the NFL's personal conduct policy. DeAngelo Malone has also been sidelined on the reserve/PUP list.
Walker and Pearce combined for 16 of Atlanta's 57 sacks last season, the second-most in the league. Losing both for extended stretches left a hole for a team with real playoff aspirations, and Smith's arrival gives Ulbrich a proven veteran to help absorb some of that lost production immediately.
Smith and the Falcons will face his former team, the Green Bay Packers, in Week 3 of the regular season.
