While the Packers did not make the playoffs, fans still got some great enjoyment yesterday watching the Vikings lose to the Giants. The Vikings now join the rest of the NFC North in starting to answer offseason questions. One big one is former Packers edge, Za’Darius Smith. It looks like he could become a cap casualty again this offseason.
Do the #vikings bring Za’Darius Smith back?
They save $12,333,332 by cutting him and he cooled off after a fast start. pic.twitter.com/1jvLJGIe6S
— Ali Siddiqui (@asiddiqui15) January 16, 2023
Za’Darius Smith Cap Casualty Again?
The Vikings would save just over $12 million by cutting Smith making him a prime candidate to get cut. While some will point to his resurgent year, the game-by-game logs tell a different story. Smith had a solid double-digit sack year reaching 10 sacks. However. 9.5 of those sacks came from weeks 1-9. After week 9, Smith only recorded half a sack. The Vikings’ defense will need a lot of work after giving up a massive amount of yards to the Giants on Sunday. Za’Darius Smith could be a prime candidate to help save money.
Will He Have A Similar Reaction?
If he is cut, I am wondering what Smith’s reaction will be. Will he make more outlandish accusations about how he was treated by the Vikings? Will he sign with the Bears or Lions so he can exact his revenge on his two former teams more often? This whole situation highlights how the NFL is simply a business where players sometimes get cut for business reasons. If you asked the Vikings whether they want Smith back in a vacuum, my guess is they would say yes. However, the money saved by making him a cap casualty is just too advantageous.
The NFL offseason is always full of intriguing storylines. There are always surprise free agents simply because of the cap. Za’Darius Smith has shown enough this year to end up playing somewhere. Where he ends up will be something to watch this offseason.
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