The Atlanta Falcons have signed former Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers defensive end Za'Darius Smith to a one-year deal. Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler with 70.5 career sacks, 176 quarterback hits and 145 games of NFL experience under his belt.
While Smith is no longer the destructive defensive force he was once (his last Pro Bowl was in 2022) he does offer what the Falcons need most right now: experienced depth for their suffering edge rush rotation.
Here's a look at Smith's career highlight reel that the team shared on Twitter.
Sharpening the edge 😤https://t.co/6OPN1C2Oma x @zadariussmith pic.twitter.com/hF3iR1Qr7Z
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 18, 2026
Smith has also put in time with the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions and the Cleveland Browns, where
he previously worked with new Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Smith only played five games last season with the Eagles, totaling 1.5 sacks. He was technically retired until the Falcons called him up. So while there's no guarantee he replaces Pearce, his $6 million salary is a good indicator that it will his job to lose.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Falcons share highlight reel for their newest defensive piece
