The Green Bay Packers and their former edge rusher, Za’Darius Smith, have two completely different views on how his time with the team ended. While the organization feels like he quit on them, Smith has been adamant that the fault completely lies with the team.
Fans may recalls that Smith was upset over not being voted as a captain by his teammates in 2021, and then spent almost a full season away from the team rehabbing from a back injury. In a recent interview with cleveland.com, Smith discussed how he was vilified in Green Bay and how it has motivated him.
Related: Green Bay Packers Fans React to Za’Darius Smith Requesting His Release from the Minnesota Vikings
Za’Darius Smith Was Not Happy with His Contract with the Green Bay Packers
After two productive seasons in Green Bay that saw Smith total 26.0 sacks and make two Pro Bowls, there was a bitter divorce between the two that made the former fan-favorite into one of the least-liked former Packers among fans. Of his treatment and exit from Green Bay, Smith said on Friday:
“It all started in Green Bay when they said I was a bad teammate and we all know that’s not me. We couldn’t come together on the back injury and they thought that I would never be the same again. I don’t know what made ‘em think that, but I still went to Minnesota, had what, (9.5 sacks in nine games) but then I had a knee injury.
“But type of stuff happens. When you get a new opportunity, you just make the best of it.”
Smith then turned around and took a shot at his most recent former team, the Vikings, who he said wrote his contract in such a way that “he could not take breaks:”
“It was a struggle. My contract was set up in a way to where basically the money was supposed to be earned through dressing out each and every week, so I couldn’t take breaks. If I would’ve taken a break, I would’ve missed out on $6 million.
“I still tried to give it my all. I’m a team player. I’m going to do whatever it takes for me to still try to be productive, but I wasn’t as productive as I was at the beginning. A lot of people (were) like, ‘oh yeah, Z fell off.’ That wasn’t the case. We all know the case. People get hurt. It’s f—— football.”
In other words, Smith asked for his released from the Vikings because of the lack of guaranteed money. In today’s NFL, the desire for guaranteed money is more than understandable given the nature of the game. However, it is not like he did not know about the terms of the contract when he signed it. Remember, he decommitted from re-signing with the Baltimore Ravens to take the Vikings’ deal.
The Browns have since given Smith a one-year contract worth $11.71 million, fully guaranteed. It will be interesting to see how he responds this season, and if he can back up his claims with his play on the field.
He did make the Pro Bowl last season, totally 10.0 sacks with the Vikings.
In a completely unrelated note, Smith and the Browns play a few other former Packers and the New York Jets in Week 17, a Thursday night game on Amazon Prime video.
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