Z Smith traded to Browns

[makila]

Smith, 2025 6th & 7th
For
2024 5th, 2025 5th

Assume this means that Hunters contract will he addressed. Be surprised if they moved both. Value at first seems so so. I know cap savings has value and is needed however.

https://theathletic.com/4515292/2023/05 ... ed-article

The Cleveland Browns are acquiring edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings, team and league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. NFL Network first reported the deal. Here’s what you need to know:

Cleveland will also receive a 2025 sixth-round and 2025 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick, according to a team source.
Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, recorded 10 sacks and 44 combined tackles across 16 starts for Minnesota last season.
Smith’s reworked deal will guarantee him $11.75 million in 2023, per league sources.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Why did the Vikings trade Smith?
It’s a combination of factors. The first relates to Minnesota’s cap situation. The team has been constrained by its cap situation all offseason. It’s why Minnesota released Eric Kendricks and Adam Thielen. It’s also why the Vikings restructured Kirk Cousins’ deal. Though those moves helped the Vikings bring in free agents like Marcus Davenport and Byron Murphy Jr., the team still faced challenges. For example, as of Friday morning, the Vikings had yet to sign first-round pick Jordan Addison.

This trade clears the way for Minnesota to make that happen. Another supplementary factor lies in the trajectory of Smith’s production. In the first 10 weeks of the 2022 season, Smith recorded 9 1/2 sacks. In the final eight weeks, he only amassed 1/2 sack. He navigated numerous injuries but is also 30 years old. And then there is the factor of what Smith wanted: which, early in the offseason, was maximum money. This trade and (reworked) deal does not tack on future dollars but it should allow Smith to earn a fair sum this season, then hit free agency. All in all, it was a move that for Minnesota seemed imminent. — Lewis

Why the Browns made the move
The Browns are pretty much all-in on 2023, and they entered the offseason with the defensive line as their top priority. Though they previously signed edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to a multiyear deal worth more than $12 million guaranteed and have also invested heavily into boosting their receiving corps, it’s not surprising to see them back in the pass-rush game with Smith. Myles Garrett is one of the league’s most gifted edge rushers, and after the Browns’ Jadeveon Clowney experiment failed, there’s a little bit of desperation and a lot of intrigue involved with adding a player as accomplished as Smith to the group of Garrett, Okoronkwo, fourth-round rookie Isaiah McGuire and 2022 third-round pick Alex Wright.

The Browns plan to score a bunch more points than they did last year with Deshaun Watson fully eligible, and they clearly plan to turn their pass rush loose once they build a lead. — Jackson

Backstory
Smith joined the Vikings on a reported three-year deal last March after backing out of a deal with the Ravens days earlier. Smith spent the first four seasons of his career in Baltimore after being selected by the franchise in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He signed with Green Bay in 2019 and earned two Pro Bowl selections before missing 16 regular-season games in 2021 with a back injury.

[Maelstrom88]

Yeah they were going to sit on him or get poor value. Maybe they can use those picks to move up for a QB at some point.

[J. Kapp 11]

A lot of pundits are ripping the Vikings for this trade (and Browns fans are laughing at us), but I disagree for at least 3 reasons.

1. Smith was already gone in his own mind, as evidenced by him listing his house and thanking Vikings fans on IG.
2. The Vikings moved up in draft value. Not WAY up, but up.
3. Most importantly, this frees up $12 million in cap space for a team that didn't have enough cap to sign its rookies.

Add in the fact that Smith disappeared in the second half of 2022 (and as a 31-year-old with chronic knee issues, that trend is likely to continue) and I see this as a net positive for the Vikings. Solid B.

And I have a feeling that Browns fans will be singing a different tune come December.

In the meantime, the prevailing wisdom is that Dalvin Cook will be gone post June 1, either by trade or cut. If the Vikings want to, they can also restructure someone like Brian O'Neill. Makes me wonder ... does Kwesi have something else up his sleeve?

[CharVike]

He did have 15 TFL which lead the team and 2 FF. Plus 5 PD. He did have a good year. It certainly takes something away from the D.

[VikingLord]

He did have 15 TFL which lead the team and 2 FF. Plus 5 PD. He did have a good year. It certainly takes something away from the D.

Smith was a non-factor the second half of the season. I loved his energy in the first half, but unfortunately, the season is 17 games.

Also, the defense stunk with or without him on the field, so I feel the same way about losing him as I do about losing Peterson at CB. It wasn't like either was a major cog in an otherwise successful defense.

Lastly, Smith seemed to make his mind up he wanted out even before he knew who the new DC would be. That is just dumb unless something else happened to cause him to want out (which very likely could be the case). If a guy doesn't want to be (or can't be) part of the solution and getting the defense back on track, then I'm glad he's gone and I'm equally glad the Vikings managed to get something for him in the process.

[Pondering Her Percy]

I'm just glad we got something in return for him. I said way back when I did my mock that shedding his contract was a no-brainer, especially given how it was structured. I'll take a couple 5ths. This gives us more ammo to move around.

[CharVike]

He did have 15 TFL which lead the team and 2 FF. Plus 5 PD. He did have a good year. It certainly takes something away from the D.

Smith was a non-factor the second half of the season. I loved his energy in the first half, but unfortunately, the season is 17 games.

Also, the defense stunk with or without him on the field, so I feel the same way about losing him as I do about losing Peterson at CB. It wasn't like either was a major cog in an otherwise successful defense.

Lastly, Smith seemed to make his mind up he wanted out even before he knew who the new DC would be. That is just dumb unless something else happened to cause him to want out (which very likely could be the case). If a guy doesn't want to be (or can't be) part of the solution and getting the defense back on track, then I'm glad he's gone and I'm equally glad the Vikings managed to get something for him in the process.

I have also saw that we are paying some of the money in the new contract. What that amount is hasn't been verified. He didn't make a difference and that can be said about every player on that D. Yet we recycled some back in like Hicks, Smith ect.... Even that FA Phillips we signed didn't do that much. It don't really matter to me. But you better get after the QB if you want to play D. Look no further than the 2 SB teams. They sacked the QB.
https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2023/0 ... ius-smith/

[JJBreaksRecords]

KAM at his very average to below average deal. Getting tired of it. Wonder how much of Z's salary is payed for by the Vikings.

[psjordan]

Smith, 2025 6th & 7th
For
2024 5th, 2025 5th

Not only the cap savings, but "time value of money" pulled in to 2024 says this deal equates to:
Smith, 2024 7th and UFA (2025 7th being equal to 2024 "8th")
For
2024 5th and 2024 6th

I think that's ok considering all the other factors and that CLE has a decently tough schedule. Their picks should be mid-pack types.

[CharVike]

KAM at his very average to below average deal. Getting tired of it. Wonder how much of Z's salary is payed for by the Vikings.

We switched to a 3-4 and we were weak at LBer. He needed bodies. He had a good half season. Smith seemed to have problems at his stops. KAM needed to unload him and once in that spot you are screwed. Wait till TJ wants 20 mill a year. Then JJ over 30. Can't sign them all.

[Pondering Her Percy]

KAM at his very average to below average deal. Getting tired of it. Wonder how much of Z's salary is payed for by the Vikings.

ha, not really sure what you expected in return. Every Vikings fan knew that he was either going to be traded or released. And if he was traded, we all knew it wasnt going to be for much as this was more of a salary dump if anything so if we can at least get something out of him instead of flat out releasing him, let's do it. So I'm not sure why people are acting like this is a surprise. Just to make you aware, the same thing will happen with Dalvin very soon.

[Cliff]

KAM at his very average to below average deal. Getting tired of it. Wonder how much of Z's salary is payed for by the Vikings.

ha, not really sure what you expected in return. Every Vikings fan knew that he was either going to be traded or released. And if he was traded, we all knew it wasnt going to be for much as this was more of a salary dump if anything so if we can at least get something out of him instead of flat out releasing him, let's do it. So I'm not sure why people are acting like this is a surprise. Just to make you aware, the same thing will happen with Dalvin very soon.

It reminds me of those "pawn" reality shows. People are always bringing in stuff like a signed contract from some famous person that they got from their grandfather thinking it's worth tens of thousands of dollars and it's really worth like $300.

Things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. How much do you think other teams would be willing to give for Smith in the first place? Now with him likely being cut?

So this deal is below average compared to what? Historically what have other teams gotten for a player like Smith that they were going to cut if nobody traded for him? What should they have gotten?

[Pondering Her Percy]

ha, not really sure what you expected in return. Every Vikings fan knew that he was either going to be traded or released. And if he was traded, we all knew it wasnt going to be for much as this was more of a salary dump if anything so if we can at least get something out of him instead of flat out releasing him, let's do it. So I'm not sure why people are acting like this is a surprise. Just to make you aware, the same thing will happen with Dalvin very soon.

It reminds me of those "pawn" reality shows. People are always bringing in stuff like a signed contract from some famous person that they got from their grandfather thinking it's worth tens of thousands of dollars and it's really worth like $300.

Things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them. How much do you think other teams would be willing to give for Smith in the first place? Now with him likely being cut?

So this deal is below average compared to what? Historically what have other teams gotten for a player like Smith that they were going to cut if nobody traded for him? What should they have gotten?

Spot on Cliff! No less, I dont mind giving away a 6th and 7th for two 5ths. That just gives us more ammo to move around. Everyone always hates the 6ths and 7ths due to Rick and now we act like we gave too much. These are chess pieces. And I would 100% take the chess pieces we got in return over the ones we gave up.