- ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 20: Gavin Escobar
It feels like it was eons ago that Za’Darius Smith was believed to be a breakout candidate for the 2016 Ravens defense. What’s changed since 2015?
Flash back to 2015. Za’Darius Smith was a rookie fourth round pick coming out of the University of Kentucky. On a Ravens squad that would finish 5-11 with a mountain of injuries, Smith was one of the lone bright spots of a lost 2015 season. He racked up an impressive 5.5 sacks as a rookie, including 3.5 over the last three games of the season.
Fast forward to 2016. Smith ended the season with just a single sack and was a virtual non-factor on a great defense. What happened? All we know is Smith needs to find a solution or he could be on the losing end on making the roster.
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Earn His Spot
Smith is certainly going to need to work his butt off if he wants that roster spot. After Matt Judon’s solid rookie season and the Ravens pulling the trigger on Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams in the second and third rounds respectively of the 2017 draft, outlook looks bleak. But, it is not impossible.
In fact, Smith should use this adversity as the tool to help him bounce back to his 2015 role. No one is asking for Smith to be a Pro Bowler, we simply need him to be a role player.
At the end of the day, Smith probably won’t be a double digit sack guy. But, if he can come off the bench and get you the 5.5 sacks he had as a rookie in a vastly reduced role, that’s huge for this defense. Numbers like that add up big time. If we factor in production from teammates like Suggs, Judon, Williams, and Bowser, Smith’s 5.5 sacks could help push the Ravens close to the 50 sack range.
So, what does Smith to do to make this roster? Take advantage of any snaps he can get. He will be exclusively used as a pass rusher and come in to give guys breaks. This means he will come in fresh and take advantage of tired offensive linemen. That bodes extremely well for the power rushing linebacker.
What Smith brings to the table is a punishing nature with his brute strength and size. At 6’4″ 275 lbs, Smith is the “elephant” edge rusher on the team. Think of Pernell McPhee from 2014. This means there are situations where he could line up inside the tackles as a defensive end. That kind of versatility is what will earn him a roster spot.
The Bottom Line
Smith will likely never become the beastly pass rusher we all envisioned after his rookie season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a reliable role player. In fact, he might benefit greatly in a reduced role.
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So long as he makes the roster, Smith will be a valuable asset to the Ravens edge rushing rotation. How much he sees the field will be largely determined off of what he does with the snaps he’s given. If he is productive, and I think he will be, he could be in for a solid 2017.