Eagles sign Za'Darius Smith after Ben VanSumeren suffers season-ending injury

The Philadelphia Eagles signed veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith to a one-year deal Friday and placed fullback Ben VanSumeren on injured reserve after VanSumeren suffered a season-ending knee injury on the opening kickoff of Thursday night's game.

Smith, 32, spent the 2024 season split between the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, recording nine sacks and 35 total tackles for the two teams combined. He was released by the Lions in March and had not been signed during the preseason before joining the Eagles' roster this week. To open a roster spot for Smith, the team announced it would move VanSumeren to injured reserve following the injury.

VanSumeren was helped off the field after sustaining the injury on the opening kickoff and did not return. The team described the injury as a torn patella and confirmed that VanSumeren would miss the remainder of the season. The move deprives the defending Super Bowl champions of a fullback who had been part of their roster plans entering the campaign.

Smith's addition provides the Eagles with an experienced edge presence as they prepare to defend their title. He has shown pass-rushing production in recent seasons and will join an Eagles front that has emphasized pressure and depth at the edge in its roster construction. The team did not release specifics on Smith's expected role or playing time.

The roster changes arrive as the NFL regular season begins and teams finalize personnel decisions in response to injuries and late training camp moves. The Eagles announced the transactions as they adjust to losing a player to a major injury and seek depth in their defensive front for the weeks ahead.