Linebacker Za'Darius Smith backs out of deal with Baltimore Ravens, source says

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — There won't be a reunion between outside linebacker Za'Darius Smith and the Baltimore Ravens, after all.

Smith became the latest NFL player to back out on an agreement Thursday, when he decided not to sign a four-year, $35 million deal with Baltimore, a source told ESPN. So, Smith becomes a free agent and the Ravens' search for a pass-rusher continues.

This marks the third time in this free-agent period that a player has changed his mind on an agreement. Outside linebacker Randy Gregory and running back J.D. McKissic also flipped on deals this past week. Gregory went from the Dallas Cowboys to the Denver Broncos, and McKissic went from the Buffalo Bills to the Washington Commanders.

On Wednesday afternoon, it looked like Smith was returning to Baltimore, where he was drafted in the fourth round in 2015. A source told ESPN that the Ravens believed they had reached a verbal agreement on a deal that averaged $8.75 million per season, which seemed like a great value for a two-time Pro Bowl player.

A few hours later, a source said Smith expressed second thoughts after two pass-rushers had their big-money deals announced: Von Miller (six years, $120 million for an average of $20 million per season) with the Bills and Chandler Jones (three, years, $51 million for an average of $17 million per season). The Ravens tried to rework the deal, but the sides couldn't reach an agreement, the source added. Baltimore and Smith aren't expected to resume talks.

Questions about Smith's deal started Thursday morning because the Ravens hadn't announced the agreement. When asked why the team had yet to acknowledge Smith's deal, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta was evasive, saying «I think over the coming days we'll have