New Eagles defensive end Za’Darius Smith says he still has ‘a lot more left in the tank’
The 33-year-old, who signed with the Eagles this week, has 69 career sacks, including nine last season.
Za’Darius Smith watched last week’s Eagles-Cowboys season opener on his television at home with extra attention.
“I had a sense that I was coming,” Smith said Wednesday with a smile after his first Eagles practice.
In fact, Smith said the Eagles almost signed him Tuesday before the game and then decided to wait until after their first game to bring him in. As the game showed, the Eagles need more from their pass rush, with or without Jalen Carter on the field. They didn’t sack Dak Prescott once.
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Smith, a 10-year veteran who turned 33 Monday, has racked up 69 sacks in 140 career regular-season games, including nine in 17 regular-season games last year with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.
Smith put on pads Wednesday for the first time since Jan. 18, when the Lions were upset by the Washington Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs. He was a free agent and trained at home in Orlando, fielding calls from multiple teams, he said. The plan was always to play.
“I’m not hanging it up yet,” Smith said. “I’ve got a lot more left in the tank.”
Smith’s numbers haven’t necessarily been in decline. He pressured the quarterback on 15% of his pass-rushing snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus, a higher rate than Josh Sweat, whom the Eagles lost via free agency, and Nolan Smith, who is at the top of the depth chart for the Eagles.
Za’Darius Smith said he chose to sign with the Eagles after seeking advice from his friends around the league. The Eagles offer a chance for him to play for a winner and help younger players come along.
“I just felt comfortable with this team because they lost their veteran leader [Brandon Graham], and it was a great fit for me to come here and basically do what I do and help the younger guys,” he said.
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Smith began his career in Baltimore as a fourth-round pick in 2015 out of Kentucky. He’s a three-time Pro Bowl selection who last made it in 2022 with the Minnesota Vikings. Smith was also a second-team All-Pro with Green Bay in 2020 and had a career-high 13½ sacks with the Packers in 2019.
The Eagles lost a lot of experience when they lost Graham and Sweat. They backfilled those players and filled out the depth chart behind Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt with multiple free-agent singings on one-year deals: Azeez Ojulari, Joshua Uche, and Ogbo Okoronkwo, who was Za’Darius Smith’s teammate for the last two seasons in Cleveland.
Ojulari and Okoronkwo were healthy scratches in the opener after quiet training camps. The Eagles’ pass rush would have looked a lot better with Carter playing, but the Eagles, who Smith said contacted him before Thursday, knew they needed improvements on the edge before Carter’s spit-induced ejection.
Za’Darius Smith said he is just “playing it by ear ” when it comes to his role. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday that it’s to be determined how Smith will fit in.
“Haven’t seen him on the field, don’t know what kind of shape he’s in, don’t know how quickly he will pick up what we’re doing,” Fangio said. “So that’s a TBD right there.”
Smith admitted he got a little winded during individual drills Wednesday but is looking forward to getting back into the normal football routine and his usual rhythm. He met Fangio this week and told him Wednesday that he reminded him of his former coordinator in Baltimore, Dean Pees.
“Y’all are built the same and y’all act the same,” Smith said he told Fangio.
When Smith was traded last November from Cleveland to Detroit, he thought he’d have his first chance to win a Super Bowl. The Eagles offer him another chance to chase that elusive trophy.
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After 10 seasons and dozens of sacks, Smith said he’s not trying to prove anything to himself. He wants to help the Eagles in any way he can, including mentoring those younger than him. At 33, he’s the oldest player on the defense, three years Okoronkwo’s senior.
One of those younger players is Carter.
“He’s different, man. He’s an animal,” Smith said. “He moves like he’s 230 pounds. There’s a couple things I’m going to help him with. I’m going to put my arms around him.”
Smith said he worked during practice with Carter and others on coordinated pass rushes.
“Hopefully you’ll see us a lot on Sunday in the backfield,” he said.