Falcons sign Za'Darius Smith after losing Pearce and Walker
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 1:25 PM
Last updated Aug 18, 2026
The Atlanta Falcons have signed pass rusher Za'Darius Smith to a one-year deal. This move follows the suspension of James Pearce Jr. and the ACL injury to Jalon Walker. Smith previously played under head coach Kevin Stefanski and had a successful stint with the Cleveland Browns, registering 10.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024. After initially retiring in 2025, he announced his return to the NFL. Further updates on the significance of this signing will follow.
- •Za'Darius Smith returns to the NFL after a brief retirement.
- •Atlanta signed Smith to fill vacancies left by Pearce and Walker.
- •Smith has previously played successfully under Kevin Stefanski.
- •He recorded 10.5 sacks over 17 games in his last full season.
- 1:25 PMYahoo Sports — Falcons sign pass rusher to fill void of James Pearce Jr., Jalon Walker
"The news comes after the suspension of James Pearce Jr., and the loss of pass rusher Jalon Walker to an ACL injury. Here's what to know.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:57 AMFalcons forced to use silent count at home, raising serious questions about fan support
NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:40 AM2026 Panthers surpass beloved 2015 Panthers in big benchmark
NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:31 AMAndy Dalton, ex-Bengals QB, rejects Eagles for new team, per report
NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:31 AMGood, bad, and ugly from Eagles' Week 6 loss vs. the Panthers
NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:30 AMWhy Micah Parsons didn't prioritize facing Cowboys in return from injury
NFL•Oct 19, 2026, 1:20 AMBears’ Caleb Williams drops ‘confident’ declaration after returning from injury to beat Falcons
