The Green Bay Packers’ defense took a major hit when top pass rusher Micah Parsons limped off the field Sunday evening. Parsons suffered a non-contact injury in the fourth quarter of a 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos, and the belief is that he suffered a torn ACL, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
With Parsons out of the picture, the Packers may need someone to step up, which could also lead them to search for outside help to get them through the end of the year.
If the Packers go that route, it appears that Za’Darius Smith would like a call. The former Packers defensive end took to X on Sunday night after Parsons went down and reacted to the news with a simple eyes emoji. While it could just be like an average football fan sitting on their couch, it also could be a signal that his services could be available for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
While Smith may be trying to manifest his next destination and has nothing to do after retiring in October, it’s a dream that likely won’t come to fruition, and leave the Packers looking within to mitigate the loss of Parsons.
Za’Darius Smith Is Probably Trolling the Packers With Micah Parsons Post
Smith may see an opportunity in front of him, but he’s already put roadblocks in his path back to Green Bay. After his release from the Detroit Lions last spring, Smith signed with the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after this season began and had two sacks and 10 pressures in five games, per Pro Football Focus, before deciding to retire.
While it may feel like he has the freedom to do what he wants, the decision to retire as opposed to asking for his release has put the ball in the Eagles' court, as they retain his contractual rights. If Smith wanted to join Green Bay for the final push, Philadelphia would have to release him for that to happen, which seems unlikely considering the Packers are one of the Eagles’ biggest threats in the NFC.
In addition to the logistics of the move, Smith may have burned his bridge with the Packers a long time ago. His final season in Green Bay was marred by the decision to undergo back surgery after one game and a nasty contract dispute that led to his release the following offseason. Smith spent one year with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022 but was traded to the Cleveland Browns after another issue with his contract.
Smith found his way back to the NFC North in 2024 after openly campaigning for the Lions to trade for him, citing the possibility of playing the Vikings and Packers twice. But after eight games and a playoff loss in Detroit, Smith was released again due to (you guessed it) his contract.
This alone makes it seem like a return wouldn’t even be possible. But it could also be misreading the situation. In a 2024 piece for Tyler Dunne’s “Go Long” substack, Dunner wrote that Smith was “still exceptionally pissed at the Packers” and felt like the team was at fault for his departure from Green Bay.
“It wasn’t right. I gave that team my all. They lied to me about my back,” Smith said. “For a lot of fans who think I did wrong or was the mean guy in the locker room, that’s not my M.O. I’m not that type of player. I want to help my team win, but they didn’t know that story. And outside looking in, I’d be mad at me, too.”
It’s also worth noting that before the 2021 season began, he wasn’t voted a team captain, which potentially shows what the team thought of him behind the scenes and could be another grudge Smith carries against the team.
In the end, Smith’s tweet may not be vouching for a return but simply trolling the Packers for their misfortune. While that would be petty, it tracks for a player who made his own division championship ring in an effort for the Lions to keep him around last season and gives the Packers a reason to say “No thanks,” if Smith is actually looking to come out of retirement.