While Za'Darius Smith was kicking the tires on the idea of possibly coming out of retirement, the Atlanta Falcons were never supposed to be the team he ended up with. First it was the Cleveland Browns who hosted him on a visit, and were expected to sign him, which never ended up happening.
The Falcons just lost Jalon Walker for the season and James Pearce Jr. will be suspended for the first eight games of the year, so they were certainly in the market for more EDGE help. So instead of just letting him end up in Cleveland, Kevin Stefanski had another plan to fix his own team's biggest hole.
The Falcons worked out Smith yesterday, which put the idea of the three-time Pro Bowler signing with the Browns in question. But that's not all. He was also expected to sign with Cleveland, but Stefanski helped him change his mind at the eleventh hour, so he instead chose to take his talents to Atlanta--which makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
Za'Darius Smith signing with the Atlanta Falcons was all because of Kevin Stefanski
The Falcons reportedly signed Za'Darius Smith to a one-year, $6 million deal worth up to $8 million in incentives. It's a pretty fair deal for a guy who has 70.5 career sacks, but the most validating feeling, at least for Kevin Stefanski, has to be helping his new team and hurting his ex-team in one fell swoop.
Here's the interesting part: the 33-year-old played for Stefanski in 2023 and nine games of 2024, and ultimately, it was their existing relationship and understanding of his coaching values that swayed him into the arms of the Dirty Birds compared to returning to a facility where he already knew people.
And it was that relationship that helped Atlanta address their biggest weakness entering the season, and kill multiple birds with one stone in the process. He still thinks Smith can turn back the clock, and is trusting him to do so given their past together.
The fact that he has that much trust in the two-time Coach of the Year is telling, especially considering he came out of retirement (and spurned another team) to sign with the Falcons. And while the three-time Pro Bowler has aged, he still enjoyed some quality seasons playing for Stefanski.
In 16 starts in 2023, Smith logged 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits playing opposite Myles Garrett. But he picked up another five sacks across the first nine games of 2024, so in 21 games as a Brown, he recorded 10.5 sacks, 27 QB hits, and eight tackles for loss. And they finished seventh in the NFL in sacks, so his presence can still elevate a Stefanski-led defense.
The most important part is that he can operate as a replacement for Pearce, and has an established track record of success. He has 98 starts under his belt, so for a young Atlanta defensive line, he can act as a good veteran presence and mentor those less experienced players as the heart of the room.
While Za'Darius Smith may not be the player he used to be, his second go-around with Kevin Stefanski is in a situation where the Falcons will rely on him more than the Browns did. He'll be on (likely) a better team, with a bigger role, so his old friend made him an offer he could never turn down.
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