Eagles Sign 3-Time Pro Bowl DE Za’Darius Smith to Bolster Pass Rush
Here we go again. Another aging pass rusher looking for one more dance, and wouldn’t you know it, the rich get richer. Za’Darius Smith, fresh off a solid stint helping the Lions make some noise last season, has decided Philadelphia’s where he wants to chase another ring. Because apparently, winning a Super Bowl and having the league’s most complete roster wasn’t enough for the Eagles. They needed more firepower.
Smith Chooses Eagles Over Lions Reunion
The 32-year-old defensive end officially signed with Philadelphia on Friday, crushing any hopes Detroit fans had of a reunion tour. Smith spent the back half of 2024 terrorizing quarterbacks in Honolulu blue after Cleveland shipped him off mid-season, and frankly, he looked pretty comfortable doing it. But when push came to shove, the allure of joining an already stacked Eagles defense proved too tempting to resist.
It’s hard to blame the guy, really. Philadelphia just hung a banner for Super Bowl LIX. They’re loaded with talent, and they’re positioned for another deep playoff run. Meanwhile, Detroit, despite its impressive showing last yearis still trying to prove it can sustain success. Smith picked the safer bet, and honestly, who wouldn’t?
What Smith Brings to Philadelphia’s Pass Rush
Don’t let the age fool you, Smith can still get after the quarterback. He finished 2024 with nine sacks despite bouncing between two teams, which isn’t exactly ideal for maintaining rhythm and chemistry. More impressively, once he settled in with the Lions around Week 11, he was absolutely relentless. According to Next Gen Stats, he ranked fourth in the league with 34 quarterback pressures over those final eight regular-season games, posting a 16.7 percent pressure rate that had offensive coordinators losing sleep.
The three-time Pro Bowler brings a legitimate veteran presence to an Eagles pass rush that was already pretty nasty. Pairing him with the young guns like Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt creates a fascinating dynamic, the old bull teaching the young bulls while still showing he’s got plenty left in the tank.
Perfect Timing for Philadelphia
Here’s where it gets interesting from a business perspective. Because the Eagles had already played their season opener (that weather-delayed thriller against Dallas), signing the former Lion now means they’re not on the hook for guaranteed money if things don’t work out. It’s one of those under-the-radar advantages of playing Thursday night football in Week 1. If Detroit had signed him at the same time, they would’ve been committed to his full salary. Philadelphia gets to test-drive a proven commodity with minimal financial risk.
Smart move by a front office that clearly understands how to work the system.
Smith’s Journey Continues
This makes Philadelphia the sixth stop in Smith’s NFL journey, which started way back in 2015 when Baltimore grabbed him in the fourth round out of Kentucky. He’s bounced from the Ravens to Green Bay, Minnesota, Cleveland, Detroit, and now the City of Brotherly Love. At some point, you’d think all that moving around would wear on a guy, but Smith seems to have mastered the art of adapting to new systems and making immediate impacts.
His resume speaks for itself: 69 career sacks, three double-digit sack seasons, and a track record of producing no matter where he lands. That 2019 campaign with the Packers, where he posted 13.5 sacks, feels like a lifetime ago, but the fundamentals that made him successful haven’t disappeared.
The Rich Get Richer (Again)
Look, there’s something mildly infuriating about watching the Eagles add quality veterans like they’re shopping at a clearance sale. They’ve already got a championship-caliber roster, a quarterback who just proved he can perform on the biggest stage, and a coaching staff that knows how to maximize talent. Now they’re adding a proven pass rusher who was generating pressure at an elite rate just months ago.
It’s the kind of move that makes you wonder if there’s any parity left in this league. Sure, injuries happen, chemistry takes time to develop, and nothing’s guaranteed in the NFL. But on paper, Philadelphia just got significantly more dangerous, and they were already the team to beat in the NFC.
For Smith, it’s a chance to add another chapter to an already impressive career while chasing what could be his first championship ring. For the Eagles, it’s another calculated risk that could pay huge dividends come playoff time. And for the rest of the NFC? Well, good luck trying to block this pass rush rotation.
