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Browns acquire Pro Bowl DE Za'Darius Smith in trade with Vikings

The Browns have added a three-time Pro Bowler to their defensive line

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The Browns' busy offseason on the defense continued Tuesday with one more massive addition to the defensive line.

The Browns traded for three-time Pro Bowl DE Za'Darius Smith, a 2025 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Vikings in exchange for two fifth-round picks — one in 2024 and the other in 2025.

Smith, an eight-year veteran, is one of five players in the NFL who has totaled double-digit sacks in three of the last four seasons — the group also includes Pro Bowl DE Myles Garrett — and was a Pro Bowl selection last year with the Vikings.

Check out photos over the years of the Browns' new Pro Bowl edge rusher, Za'Darius Smith

A fourth-round pick by the Ravens in 2015, Smith's career took off in 2019 with the Packers when he finished sixth among all defenders with 13.5 sacks, earning him his first Pro Bowl selection. He followed that up with a 12.5-sack year and another Pro Bowl selection the next season before he missed all but one game in 2021 due to a back injury.

Smith joined the Vikings in 2022 and flashed the same level of skill before his injury, tallying 10 sacks, five pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Now, Smith will be paired with Garrett to create a duo that combined for 26 sacks a year ago. He joins DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DT Maurice Hurst II and DT Trysten Hill as free-agent additions to the defensive line this offseason.

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