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The Most Important Green Bay Packers: Za’Darius Smith Should Soon Be A Household Name

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The Green Bay Packers went 13-3 last season, won the NFC North and reached the NFC Championship Game for a second straight year. The Packers lost to Tampa Bay, though, 31-26, in the conference title game and the offseason has been packed with drama.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers insisted throughout the offseason he wants out of Green Bay. Rodgers was back for the Packers’ first practice of the season on Wednesday, though, and insists he’s all-in.

Throughout the rest of the month, I will count down the ‘30 Most Important Packers’ heading into the 2021 campaign. At No. 3 is outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith.

The other players that have been revealed in the top-30 are listed at the bottom of the story.

No. 3

OLB Za’Darius Smith

Last season: Smith had 12.5 sacks and forced four fumbles in 2020 after posting 13.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 2019. Also ranked 10th in the league with 23 quarterback hits last year and was named to the Pro Bowl.

Smith led the Packers in turnover producing plays with six. And according to Pro Football Focus, Smith tied for 17th with 51 pressures and tied for 46th in pass rushing productivity.

Smith is mediocre, at best, against the run. But that’s not why he’s making top dollar.

Smith signed a four-year, $66 million free agent deal with Green Bay in March, 2019. This offseason, the Packers converted $9.76 million of Smith’s 2021 salary and his entire $5 million roster bonus into a signing bonus to create $7.38 million in cap space.

Career to date: Smith has earned every cent of his money in Green Bay by posting 26.0 sacks in his first two seasons. That’s tied for third-most in the league since 2019 and is more than any Packer in history in their first two seasons with the team.

In fact, the only players in the league with 12-plus sacks each of the last two seasons are Aaron Donald, T.J. Watt and Smith. And the last Packer with back-to-back seasons with 12-plus sacks is Aaron Kampman (2006-07).

In 2019 — Smith’s first in Green Bay — he led the NFL with 93 pressures and tied for the league lead with 37 quarterback hits. He also added 17 tackles for loss and became the focal point for opposing defenses as the year went on.

Smith didn't play football until his senior year at Greenville High School (Ala.). Smith then played two years at East Mississippi Community College and two seasons at Kentucky.

Baltimore selected the 6-foot-4, 272-pound Smith in the fourth round in 2015, seven picks before the Packers were planning to take him. After posting 5 ½ sacks as a rookie, Smith had two quiet years and was fighting for playing time on one of the deepest and most talented linebacking units in football.

In Smith’s contract year of 2018, he posted a career-high 8.5 sacks for a Baltimore defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL. Smith also had 60 pressures that season, which ranked 17th among edge defenders by Pro Football Focus.

That led to Smith’s big deal in Green Bay, one that included a $20 million signing bonus and will pay him $34.5 million in the first two years.

Outlook: Smith, who’s still just 28, remains extremely driven and has quickly became a leader of the Packers’ defense. This will be a big year for him, though.

In re-working his contract, Smith’s salary cap number for the 2022 season is now $28 million. That likely means he’s a candidate for an extension with another big year.

Considering Smith is still in his prime and has been remarkably productive, he should be in Green Bay’s future plans. Like anyone looking for an extension, though, he’ll have to earn it.

Comments

“They’re still snubbing me. It is what it is. I feel like it adds fuel to the fire, and I’m going to continue to prove myself. I think when I came out of Baltimore, I led the team in sacks, and pressures, and hits. It was what, a contract year? And then I came here and had a dominant year, I think I led the league in pressures and quarterback hits, and it was basically another snub year, and then after last year, I was what? Fifth in the … third in the league in sacks, second with forced fumbles, and they’re still snubbing me, but it is what it is. Like I said, it’s going to continue to add fuel to the fire, and I’m just going to continue to prove myself each and every year.” — Za’Darius Smith on how he’s still overlooked

“He’s a physical guy. He’s very versatile. You can move him inside, outside. So if he’s in the middle, you know he’s going to push the pocket, and he’s going to get to the quarterback fast. You don’t have nobody there to slow him down. So the quarterback is never going to be comfortable in the pocket with us, either on the same side or opposite side. — Packers outside linebacker Preston Smith on Za’Darius Smith

“He’s a great player and he produces for us, but he’s an inspiring player, an inspiring person, and he brings a lot of juice and energy. In order for us to perform at our best as a whole defense, he’s got to be playing at a high level. Obviously the production speaks for itself.” — Packers coach Matt LaFleur on Za’Darius Smith

THE TOP 30

• No. 30 — OG Jon Runyan

• No. 29 — ILB De’Vondre Campbell

• No. 28 — WR/PR Amari Rodgers

• No. 27 — CB Chandon Sullivan

• No. 26 — ILB Krys Barnes

• No. 25 — WR Allen Lazard

• No. 24 — CB Eric Stokes

• No. 23 — DE Kingsley Keke

• No. 22 — OG Lucas Patrick

• No. 21 — RB AJ Dillon

• No. 20 — OLB Preston Smith

• No. 19 — C Josh Myers

• No. 18 — CB Kevin King

• No. 17 — DE Dean Lowry

• No. 16 — WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling

• No. 15 — TE Robert Tonyan

• No. 14 — OLB Rashan Gary

• No. 13 — OL Billy Turner

• No. 12 — K Mason Crosby

• No. 11 — S Adrian Amos

• No. 10 — S Darnell Savage

• No. 9 — NT Kenny Clark

• No. 8 — OL Elgton Jenkins

• No. 7 — RB Aaron Jones

• No. 6 — QB Jordan Love

• No. 5 — CB Jaire Alexander

• No. 4 — LT David Bakhtiari

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