Pro Bowl outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith didn’t score a contract extension from the Green Bay Packers as he hoped. Instead, the Packers will reportedly release Smith and make him a free agent.

The Packers made the news official via their social media on Monday.

It was widely expected that Green Bay would part ways with Smith if the two sides didn’t agree to an extension or a contract restructure. The 29-year-old player was set to count close to $28 million against the cap in 2022, which was a number the team couldn’t afford considering their salary cap issues. By releasing the veteran, the Packers cleared around$15.7 a million.

Za’Darius Smith joined the Packers as a free agent on a four-year, $66 million contract back in 2019. He had an impressive start to his Green Bay stint, recording 26.0 sacks in 2019 and 2020 while making two Pro Bowls and receiving one All-Pro nod. The 2021 season, however, didn’t go so well for Smith.

During the offseason, Smith reportedly tried to get himself a new deal that would match his production in the previous two seasons. On the other hand, the Packers were hesitant to do so, considering he had a couple of years left on his deal. It proved to be the right decision as Smith reported to training camp nursing a back injury. He missed 16 out of 17 games in the regular season due to the same injury.

On Monday, the Packers made several other moves that helped them get a lower salary cap number. This included signing Preston Smith to an extension and releasing offensive tackle Billy Turner.

The post Packers Release Pro Bowl OLB Za’Darius Smith appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In previous years, Green Bay Packers rarely took part in the free agency, opting to construct their roster via the draft and focus the attention to their own free agent. Well, it seems that this approach is now out of the door.

According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Green Bay added two highly coveted players on the defense in outside Linebacker Za’Darius Smith and safety Adrian Amos. Smith, who previously played for Baltimore Ravens, will reportedly get a four-year, $66 million deal while Amos, who played with Chicago Bears in 2018, will ink a four-year, $37 million contract.

Rapoport also reports that Packers’ new general manager Brian Gutekunst won’t stop there. Gutekunst is working on a deal to get former Washington Redskins edge rusher Preston Smith on a four-year, $52 million deal.

Za’Darius Smith was a fourth-round pick by Ravens in 2014 and immediately impacted the team by playing 15 games his rookie year and having 30 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two passes defended. Smith’s career stats include 119 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Adrian Amos was a fifth-round pick in 2015 by Green Bay’s bitter rivals Chicago Bears. During his time with the Bears, Amos established himself as one of the more reliable safeties in football, playing a total of 60 games so far. His career stats include 274 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.

Preston Smith has also proved himself as an impactful player since entering the league in 2015 as a second round pick. His NFL stats include 167 tackles, 24.5 sacks, four interceptions and four forced fumbles.

The post Packers Add Outside Linebacker Za’Darius Smith and Safety Adrian Amos appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Pro Bowl outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith didn’t score a contract extension from the Green Bay Packers as he hoped. Instead, the Packers will reportedly release Smith and make him a free agent.

The Packers made the news official via their social media on Monday.

It was widely expected that Green Bay would part ways with Smith if the two sides didn’t agree to an extension or a contract restructure. The 29-year-old player was set to count close to $28 million against the cap in 2022, which was a number the team couldn’t afford considering their salary cap issues. By releasing the veteran, the Packers cleared around$15.7 a million.

Za’Darius Smith joined the Packers as a free agent on a four-year, $66 million contract back in 2019. He had an impressive start to his Green Bay stint, recording 26.0 sacks in 2019 and 2020 while making two Pro Bowls and receiving one All-Pro nod. The 2021 season, however, didn’t go so well for Smith.

During the offseason, Smith reportedly tried to get himself a new deal that would match his production in the previous two seasons. On the other hand, the Packers were hesitant to do so, considering he had a couple of years left on his deal. It proved to be the right decision as Smith reported to training camp nursing a back injury. He missed 16 out of 17 games in the regular season due to the same injury.

On Monday, the Packers made several other moves that helped them get a lower salary cap number. This included signing Preston Smith to an extension and releasing offensive tackle Billy Turner.

The post Packers Release Pro Bowl OLB Za’Darius Smith appeared first on SportzBonanza.

In previous years, Green Bay Packers rarely took part in the free agency, opting to construct their roster via the draft and focus the attention to their own free agent. Well, it seems that this approach is now out of the door.

According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Green Bay added two highly coveted players on the defense in outside Linebacker Za’Darius Smith and safety Adrian Amos. Smith, who previously played for Baltimore Ravens, will reportedly get a four-year, $66 million deal while Amos, who played with Chicago Bears in 2018, will ink a four-year, $37 million contract.

Rapoport also reports that Packers’ new general manager Brian Gutekunst won’t stop there. Gutekunst is working on a deal to get former Washington Redskins edge rusher Preston Smith on a four-year, $52 million deal.

Za’Darius Smith was a fourth-round pick by Ravens in 2014 and immediately impacted the team by playing 15 games his rookie year and having 30 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and two passes defended. Smith’s career stats include 119 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Adrian Amos was a fifth-round pick in 2015 by Green Bay’s bitter rivals Chicago Bears. During his time with the Bears, Amos established himself as one of the more reliable safeties in football, playing a total of 60 games so far. His career stats include 274 tackles, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions, and one defensive touchdown.

Preston Smith has also proved himself as an impactful player since entering the league in 2015 as a second round pick. His NFL stats include 167 tackles, 24.5 sacks, four interceptions and four forced fumbles.

The post Packers Add Outside Linebacker Za’Darius Smith and Safety Adrian Amos appeared first on SportzBonanza.