Ravens players hint at a potential Za’Darius Smith return

The Baltimore Ravens could be eyeing a reunion with a former defensive standout this offseason. At least that’s the impression a number of Ravens players recently left on Twitter.

Former Ravens outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith recently posted a cryptic tweet using just the eyeball emoji, something that seemed relatively innocuous at the time.

That was until multiple Ravens players decided to add some fuel to the fire with both cornerback Marlon Humphrey and linebacker Patrick Queen responding with the exact same eyeball emoji tweet.

This obviously led to speculation that the Ravens could look to bring back their former defensive star with rumors that the Green Bay Packers could be looking to release him.

https://twitter.com/zadariussmith/status/1494783638797443075

Could the Ravens reunite with Za’Darius Smith this offseason?

Of course, this is more than likely little more than Humphrey and Queen looking to sir the pot with some offseason speculation. But it is worth wondering if a Za’Darius Smith reunion makes sense.

Smith signed with the Packers ahead of the 2019 season and quickly broke out as one of the better pass rushers in football. He finished his first year in Green Bay with 13.5 sacks in 16 games en route to his first career Pro Bowl nod.

Smith proved that his 2019 season wasn’t a fluke either as he recorded 12.5 more sacks in 2020 earning his second Pro Bowl appearance in as many years while also being named second-team All-Pro.

The hope was that he could continue his streak of dominance in 2021. Unfortunately, the 2021 season couldn’t have gone much worse for the former fourth-round pick.

Smith played just one game as a back injury plagued his season and never allowed him to return to full health. Now, many expect the Packers to move on from Smith in a move that would save the team over $15 million in cap space.

The Ravens certainly have a need and would welcome Smith back into the fold, but it would have to be at the right price. Certainly at a much smaller price tag than his projected $27.6 million cap hit in 2021.

The Ravens are tight on cap space with just over $9 million in projected space available, although that number will likely be increased by releases and/or restructures.

Still, the Ravens don’t have the luxury of spending big this offseason, and even coming off his injury, Smith still could command a sizable market.

Nonetheless, this is what the offseason’s all about, right? Unwarranted and reckless speculation based solely off social media posts. It’s only February folks — strap in.