5 Bold predictions as Cleveland Browns host Ravens in Week 4
• Deshaun Watson takes another positive step for the Browns
• Jerome Ford has a breakout game
By Randy Gurzi
4. Za'Darius Smith racks up two sacks against his former team
One of the many solid moves Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry made this offseason was to trade for veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith, who was with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
Before spending one year with the Vikings, Smith was in Green Bay for three years but he started his career with the Ravens, spending four seasons in those hated purple and black uniforms.
Smith was a fourth-round pick in 2015 out of Kentucky and had 18.5 sacks in 58 games for Baltimore. While in Green Bay, he had 26 sacks in 2019 and 2020 but then missed all but one game in 2021. He was a Pro Bowler for the first two years in Green Bay and then made it again with the Vikings.
When he was looking for a new home last year, the Ravens were interested in a reunion. That didn't happen and now, he's set to face them as rivals.
Smith enters his fourth game with Cleveland with just five tackles and no sacks. That doesn't mean he hasn't been a factor though as he has four quarterback hits and seven pressures according to Pro Football Reference.
In this bold prediction, he turns his disruption into a couple of sacks as he takes down Lamar Jackson twice for his first two sacks with the Browns.