Green Bay Packers place key edge rusher on injured reserve

The Green Bay Packers had a very disappointing week one loss to the New Orleans Saints. Now, the Packers have lost star edge rusher Za’Darius Smith for at least three weeks. Smith has been dealing with a back injury, and it reportedly did not respond well in the Packers’ season opener.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Smith was going on injured reserve, and he will miss at least three weeks.

“It’s a matter of just, do you keep them in a limited role, or do you shut them down for a while, try to get them healthy and then get them up to the snap count that we we’d like them to be, just like he’s been in the past because he’s such an impact player?” LaFleur said via Packers News’ Tom Silverstein. “So it’s just the route that we thought was best long term.”

Smith has grown into a star on defense in Green Bay

Smith played two seasons of college football at Kentucky, where he totaled 119 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and two fumble recoveries. He was selected 122nd overall in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Smith played in 58 games in Baltimore, starting 16 over four seasons. His 2018 season was his best at that point of his career, with 8.5 sacks, 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 25 quarterback hits. He then signed in free agency with the Green Bay Packers.

In each of the previous two seasons, Smith has started all 16 games on the Packers defense. Through his first two seasons in Green Bay, Smith totaled 26 sacks, 107 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 60 quarterback hits. Smith did not start in the Packers’ 2021 season opener against the Saints, but he did have 18 snaps in the game as he worked his way back from his back injury.

Smith is currently the eighth highest paid outside linebacker in the NFL. The four-year, $66 million deal he signed ahead of the 2019 pays him $16.5 million per season.

The Packers signed outside linebacker Ladarius Hamilton off of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ practice squad to fill Smith’s spot on the active roster. Hamilton will have to remain on the roster for at least three weeks.

Green Bay just allowed Jameis Winston to throw for five touchdowns in his debut as the Saints starting quarterback. The Saints also rushed for 171 yards as a team. Losing Smith is a big blow on the Packers defense. They must now find a way to fill the giant hole on their defensive front.