Why a Za’Darius Smith Trade May Need to Wait Until May
K. Joudry
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Shortly after the conclusion of Minnesota’s season, the thought of moving on from Za’Darius Smith would have been hogwash to many.
True, he struggled to pile up sacks in the second half of the year, but he was easily among Minnesota’s most valuable defenders. Bringing him back to once again partner with Danielle Hunter seemed like a no brainer, especially once Brian Flores was handed the keys to the defense.
Then, of course, there was the tweet that changed it all: “I just want to say ‘Thank you!’ to Skol Nation for an amazing season & experience! Thank you to all of my Teammates, Coaches & the entire Minnesota Vikings Organization!” To underscore the feelings of affection, Smith tossed in a purple heart emoji at the end.
Since that time, there has been an exploration of Minnesota’s options with the pass rusher, how speculation continues beyond the most sensible cut date (a cut now seems ultra unlikely), and a consideration of some teams that could reasonably be interested in bringing him aboard.
Despite all of the speculation, no firm resolution has presented itself.
Za’Darius Smith and a Post-Draft Trade
Right now, teams are hard at work putting the finishing touches on their draft preparation. The event begins a week from today. Every team is going into April 27-29 with the expectation (hope?) that their new additions will enhance their squad.
The NFL Draft routinely functions as the spark that lights trade fires. Last year, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded a ton, pulling off six deals involving just picks alone.
Now, there are several great reasons why a Smith trade is the most likely outcome:
- Za’Darius Smith publicly said he wants out.
- He’s still a great player and teams covet great players, especially at a position like edge rusher.
- Kwesi Adofo-Mensah constantly preaches about the merits of value. Why cut a player when there is potential to recoup something in return?
- Simply cutting Smith would only give the Vikings $7,106,861 in cap space. A trade would grant them $12,156,861 in cap space.
- A trade allows the Vikings to get him out of the division and, potentially, the conference.
Add all the reasons together and we’ve got a situation that’s looking like a trade. With all that being said, why the insistence that waiting until after the draft?
Well, it’s simply because teams are honing in on adding young, cheap talent. Draftees have very finite options when it comes to the contract they sign. Smith, 30, doesn’t face nearly the same limitations in his contract demands.
Sending out precious draft capital for an older, expensive veteran with a history of serious injury is going to be a tough sell for some ownership groups. Plus, Smith isn’t content with his contract, so the acquiring team would need to dig into their pockets to scrounge up more money.
Following the draft, GMs are going to circle back to their roster as a whole. Young players have just been added and it’s time to see where weaknesses remain. The league’s free agents will be courted but teams will also come back around to the NFL’s trade candidates. In some instances, that’ll mean reaching into the 2024 draft coffer to address the 2023 need.
In the end, I suffer from the downfall we all suffer from: an inability to perfectly predict the future. Forced to guess, I’d say Smith does get moved during the draft (or perhaps beforehand). Don’t be shocked, though, if Minnesota needs to wait until May before being able to pull off a deal.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap helped with this piece.
