Cleveland Browns have plenty of decisions to make this offseason and one of them will be across from superstar DE Myles Garrett.

After one season with the Browns, DE Za’Darius Smith is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Cleveland will need to figure out who they want starting opposite of Garrett next season.

Bringing back Smith is possible. But options exist for the Browns to move on if they want to.

How much would Smith cost for the Browns to bring back?

According to A to Z Sports cap experts Josh Queipo and Kyle DeDiminicantanio, Smith is expected to average $10 million annually on his next deal. Smith is projected to sign a two-year deal that is worth $20 million and $12 million guaranteed.

Those numbers are doable for the Browns, who are currently set to be over the cap in 2024. Cleveland will go the route of reworking contracts before long and that will no longer be a talking point.

A two-year deal with Smith as Garrett’s running mate for the next couple of years is there if they want to take it. He was a solid piece to a very good defense in 2023.

Smith recorded 5.5 sacks for the Browns this season but his pressure numbers were still there. The veteran pass rusher was credited with 60 pressures in 2023, which was more than he had in 2020 (51) when he had 13 sacks, per Pro Football Focus.

Who on the roster replaces Za’Darius Smith?

If Cleveland believes he is ready, they can hand the keys to Alex Wright. Wright took a huge step in his second season. After having no sacks in 17 games last season, Wright had five for the Browns this season. The jump that Wright took from year one to two was big, now you wonder what the jump looks like from year two to three.

Ogbo Okoronkwo will be back next season after recording 4.5 sacks in 14 games. It was just behind his career-high of five sacks last season in 17 games. Okoronkwo did not start a game this season and dealt with the pectoral injury late in the year. Ideally, he and Isaiah McGuire can continue to improve their game going forward.

McGuire’s action was limited this season with just four games played. As a rookie, McGuire had a sack and six tackles. Late in the season, the SEC product showed some flashes.

Gut feeling about what happens with Za’Darius Smith in free agency

If I had to guess at this current moment, I would not expect Smith back next season. Cleveland has given out multiple extensions over the past couple of years that are going to start hitting the book. Grant Delpit was inked to one this season.

Cleveland has options that can have them in as just as good of a spot as Smith had them. I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith or Okoronkwo were given a chance at the job, with a free agent or draft pick brought there in as well alongside McGuire.

There comes a time when you have to cut costs at certain positions to continue to work around the cap. I could see Smith’s spot being one of those. 

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