The Vikings Miss One Player Who Left during the Offseason
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings can totally rejuvenate their season this Sunday with a win at home over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Minnesota is favored by a point to take down Los Angeles.
The Vikings Miss One Player Who Left during the Offseason
And one player it might miss during that contest on the defensive line is outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith.
Smith’s former teammate, Danielle Hunter, is performing admirably through two games, leading the NFL in sacks and tackles for loss. But Smith’s replacement, Marcus Davenport, has missed most of the first two games and has already been ruled out for Week 3.
Meanwhile, Smith, at least for now, is thriving in Cleveland.
He’s recorded a blisteringly good 89.9 Pro Football Focus grade through two games, the seventh-best among EDGE rushers in the NFL at the moment. Per PFF, Smith is performing at a Nick Bosa or Micah Parsons level.
The Vikings experienced the same productivity from Smith, 31, one year ago, exploding out of the gate in a purple and gold uniform and gaining fringe Defensive Player of the Year attention until midseason. Then, injuries arose, Smith’s breakneck pace slowed, and he exited via trade to the Browns in May. Green Bay Packers fans were quick to remind Vikings faithful last year, “This is what Za’Darius does,” when his sacks simply stopped in November. Smith spent three years in Green Bay.
It is unclear if Smith will follow the pattern in 2023 with his new team.
But no matter what comes of Smith’s campaign in Cleveland, the Vikings could’ve used him in the last two weeks. The aforementioned Davenport missed games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles (well, he played four snaps versus Philadelphia before succumbing to injury), and Minnesota has leaned on reservist pass rushers D.J. Wonnum and Pat Jones. Neither man has produced like a Smith or Davenport.
Smith hasn’t recorded a sack yet but has tallied 5 pressures and 4 QB hits as his team is off to a 1-1 start. The Vikings hope to eventually receive similar production from Davenport; it’s just unknown when his ankle will be ready for Sundays.
Minnesota sent Smith, a 2025 6th-Round pick, and a 2025 7th-Round pick to the Browns for a 2024 5th-Rounder and 2025 5th-Rounder. So, Smith + two late-round picks for two 5th-Rounders. Many decried the trade because Smith is a three-time Pro Bowler. But Smith asked out of Minnesota early in the offseason, even tweeting a goodbye to Minnesotans and Vikings fans a few days before free agency. He wasn’t going to play for the Vikings, and the trade haul from Cleveland was all they could salvage.
Smith’s Browns take on the Tennessee Titans this Sunday in Cleveland.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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