Given the Atlanta Falcons will be without Jalon Walker for all of 2026 and James Pearce Jr. for hlf of 2026, beggars can't be choosers in regards to the pass-rush. So that led to Atlanta taking advantage of Kevin Stefanski's connection to Za'Darius Smith, signing him to a one-year, $6 million deal Tuesday.
For as excited as fans are that the Falcons signed a big-name pass-rusher in free agency, doubt is creeping in. Smith is the most accomplished veteran edge rusher to make a stop in Flowery Branch since the Matthew Judon trade, and to some, it's difficult to ignore the similarities between the two.
Both players were on the wrong side of 30 upon joining the Falcons and were coming off of shortened seasons that came in the wake of some of the most productive seasons in their career. However, there's one key difference: while Judon was a bust of an addition, Smith will be a success.
Za'Darius Smith won't turn into the next Matthew Judon with the Falcons
While Judon was one of the most hyped-up pickups in recent memory, it feels like he's given this fanbase residual PTSD. No one is reacting to this signing at all because they're scared of history repeating itself. Well I have good news for you, it doesn't seem like that's gonna be what happens.
The last season where we saw both edge rushers play all 17 games was back in 2024: Judon for the Dirty Birds, and Smith for the Browns and Detroit Lions. And after comparing the numbers between those two and the context, the three-time Pro Bowler and new Falcon was much more productive.
Za'Darius Smith | Matthew Judon | |
|---|---|---|
Sacks | 9.0 | 5.5 |
TFLs | 9 | 7 |
QB hits | 17 | 9 |
Pressures | 63 | 25 |
Smith had 3.5 more sacks, two more TFLs, eight more quarterback hits, and nearly three times as many pressures in 2024. And while he retired midway through 2025 with the Eagles, it wasn't because of health--unlike to Judon,who tore his biceps in Week 4 of 2023 and missed the rest of the season.
Even still, Stefanski convinced him to spurn the Browns quite easily when he expressed interest in coming out of retirement. Their past relationship and understanding of one another is incredibly telling, so this Falcons staff having past ties to Smith makes him feel like a much safer bet to trust.
Saying that Za'Darius Smith may have lost a step from his Packers days is probably true, but he's still a quality edge rusher. He's a good run defender, a solid pass-rusher, and is a worthwhile gamble for a Falcons defense desperate for edge help--but this gamble should age better than Matt Judon did.
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