NFL teams spend years evaluating each draft class and countless hours go into scouting potential free agents. That said, sometimes it's the players who they add at the last minute just before the season begins who make the biggest impact.
That's definitely the case for a couple of 11th-hour additions by the Atlanta Falcons this year. The trade with the Chicago Bears to bring in defensive tackle Gervon Dexter is paying big dividends, as is the signing of edge rusher Za'Darius Smith, who otherwise would have spent the 2026 season retired and watching from home.
Instead, Smith currently leads the Falcons with 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss in just five games. Heading into Week 8, Marc Raimondi at ESPN has named the Smith signing the best offseason
move the team made this year.
"Smith has missed two games (concussion, neck), but his presence in the locker room alone has been a major boon for the Falcons. After joining the team during training camp, the 34-year-old took on a leadership role right away, even hosting a lamb chop and lobster tail dinner for the defensive line at his new home... He is 15th in quarterback pressure rate (17.4%) among defenders with at least 85 pass-rush snaps."
Often times players who get signed off the couch simply can't cut it anymore, but it's been the opposite case for Smith - who's been one of the most-disruptive defenders in the league so far this season.
At 34 years old with over 150 career games of experience, Smith can't be considered a long-term option for this edge rotation. He has filled in as well as anyone could expect while the Falcons wait to get back James Pearce from suspension, and eventually Jalon Walker off injured reserve.
Much of Matt Ryan and Ian Cunningham's offseason moves have been criticized by the media, but this is one under-the-radar addition that's really paying off.
This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: ESPN names the Falcons' best offseason addition
