The Atlanta Falcons have found themselves in a tough spot at the edge rusher position, and they have just taken a huge step to address the problem.

A week after losing Jalon Walker for the season to a torn ACL and James Pearce Jr. for half the season to suspension, it left the pass rush in need of some help, and Atlanta acquired that on Tuesday morning in an NFL veteran who has produced a ton throughout the course of his career.

The Falcons signed Za'Darius Smith to a rather lucrative one-year deal worth $6 million and up to $8 million in incentives as well after a workout on Monday clearly proved to show the team what they needed to see in order to be comfortable with the deal.

It looked like Smith was going to be headed to the Cleveland Browns, but after Atlanta lost Pearce and saw the workout from Smith, clearly they stepped up financially to do whatever it took in order to lock him down for the season. While he certainly is not the All Pro version of himself he was early in his career, the 33-year-old is still capable of providing a boost to the room.

After signing a similar contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2025, Smith would play in just five games last year, but he had a nine sack season in 2024 and is just a couple of years removed from being an extremely productive football player.

Handing him a guaranteed $6 million is a clear indication that the Falcons believe Smith is not just going to be a part of the team's depth and may actually get the chance to earn a starting role.

Ultimately, Atlanta and general manager Ian Cunningham had to make a move on the edge after losing arguably the two most important players there in both Walker and Pearce. Whether or not Smith can replicate that production remains to be seen, but it's nice to see the Falcons identifying a clear need then making an aggressive move to address it head on.

Smith instantly becomes a name fans will have to watch closely over the coming weeks and into the start of the season, because it is more clear than ever that Atlanta needs someone to step up. Perhaps the veteran Smith -- who has more than 70 sacks in his decade-plus long career -- can become that guy.