Vikings' Za'Darius Smith: Headed to Minnesota

Smith signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Vikings on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Smith was released by the Packers in mid-March and appeared to have quickly signed a new contract to reunite with the Ravens. However, for an undisclosed reason that deal fell through, so the former All-Pro pass rusher returned to the open market where he was courted by his former team's division rival. Smith missed nearly all of 2021 while recovering from back surgery, but he did return for Green Bay's final playoff game and even recorded a sack during the loss to San Francisco. Before the injury-plagued 2021 campaign, he recorded back-to-back double-digit sack seasons with the Packers and figures to provide a powerful one-two punch with Danielle Hunter (pectoral) during the 2022 campaign.