Falcons Signing 3-Time Pro Bowl Edge Rusher: Report

The Atlanta Falcons have made a strategic move to bolster their defense by signing three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Za Darius Smith to a one-year contract. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Cleveland Browns were also vying for Smith's services, but he ultimately chose the Falcons. Smith, 33 years old, has been active in the NFL since 2015, initially joining the Baltimore Ravens.

He played for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, appearing in just five games and contributing 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks. His career has seen him with seven teams, including stints in Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, and Cleveland, where he was traded from the Browns to the Lions during the 2024 season. In his most recent campaign with the Lions, Smith started 16 games, accumulating 35 tackles and nine sacks.

Smith earned his third Pro Bowl selection in 2022 while playing for the Vikings. The Falcons finished mid-table in the league in terms of yards allowed to opponents last season, averaging 326.6 per game. Their defensive output was also middling, conceding 23.6 points per game, which placed them around the middle of the pack. The team nearly clinched a playoff berth after the 2025 season, but lost the tiebreaker to the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who both ended the season with identical 8-9 records.

The Falcons' pass rush suffered a significant blow when they lost the No. 15 draft pick, Jalon Walker, to a torn ACL and later suspended James Pearce Jr. for eight games due to a league violation. The team begins its regular season on September 13 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.