The NFL's regular season is over, which for most teams, means it's time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.



NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.

We've officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL's top free agents that include context behind each player's 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that's “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.

So, without further ado, let's check out the projection for Cleveland Browns pass rusher, Za'Darius Smith.

Za’Darius Smith 2024 Contract Projection

For a stretch earlier in his career Smith was a true Batman. But over the past two years he has settled in as a high-quality Robin. Working opposite of Myles Garrett this season, Smith has racked up quality pressure numbers but just 5.5 sacks. Still his value is evident in not only the way he has affected opposing quarterbacks, but just how much the Browns defense has elevated upon his arrival.

And despite the low sack total in 2023, he is not far removed from consistently being a 10+ sack player. Over the past three seasons Smith has recorded 15.5 sacks and 138 pressures while missing significant time due to injury. That compares very evenly with Demarcus Lawrence who recorded 133 pressures and 14.5 sacks from 2019 – 2021 while also logging significant missed time due to injuries. Smith should be in-line for a market-adjusted contract similar to Lawrence.

• Franchise Tag Likelihood: High
• 2 Yrs $20M, $10.0 APY, $12M fully GTD
• Year One Cap Hit: $5 million

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Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.