Reports: Ravens Bring Back Premier Pass Rusher…

Za’Darius Smith is back, as the Ravens are reuniting with the premier free-agent pass rusher on a four-year deal, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

It’s a reported $35 million deal with a maximum value of $50 million, per reports, for one of the NFL’s best defenders during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Smith was released by the Green Bay Packers on Monday as part of a salary-cap savings move. He was going to be due $27.6 million in 2022. That gave Baltimore the opening to bring him back home.

Smith, 29, was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens’ in 2015. He recorded 18.5 sacks in his four years in Baltimore, including a breakout final season in 2018 with 8.5 sacks and 25 quarterback hits. That landed him a mega-deal from the Packers the following offseason.

Smith became a star in Green Bay, delivering 26 sacks and 60 quarterback hits over the next two seasons. He was a Pro Bowler and defensive MVP candidate both years. Only the Steelers’ T.J. Watt (29.5) and Buccaneers’ Shaquil Barrett (27.5) had more sacks than Smith from 2019-2020.

Last season, a back injury led Smith to playing in just two games. He reported to training camp with the issue but played some in Week 1 before going on the shelf and having surgery. Smith returned for the playoffs and logged a sack in his only game back.

The Ravens were looking to add more pass rush potency after finishing the season with just 34 sacks (only eight teams had fewer).

Tyus Bowser, who led the team with seven sacks, is coming off an Achilles injury suffered in the final game. Odafe Oweh showed a ton of potential with five sacks as a first-round rookie and is now coming off a reported shoulder surgery. With Smith, Baltimore has a trio of freakish athletes coming off the edge if they’re all healthy.