Za'Darius Smith isn't headed back to Baltimore, after all.
The veteran pass rusher is no longer signing with the Ravens and remains a free agent, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday.
On Wednesday, Smith was reported to be returning to Baltimore, his first NFL team prior to joining the Packers, on a four-year, $35 million deal, but, as has become a trend (see: Randy Gregory and J.D. McKissic) this offseason, has since had a change of heart.
In his first two seasons in Green Bay -- 2019-20 -- Smith was a Pro Bowler who racked up 26 sacks, but he was sidelined by injuries for all but one game in 2021 and was given his Green Bay release ahead of the free agency period.
Returning to the Ravens made for a feel-good story as Smith emerged in Baltimore in 2018 with a then-career-best 8.5 sacks that led him to sign a huge four-year, $66 million pact with the Pack.
Alas, a different story is being told by Smith with this latest plot twist.
The 29-year-old is back on the market and back in the top 20 of Gregg Rosenthal's Top 101 list.
