Za’Darius Smith’s strange 2021 has taken yet another turn. The Green Bay Packers’ best pass-rusher over the past two years has had a bizarre two months, starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list with a back issue. He then came off PUP briefly to practice late in camp, but was shut down again before doing enough work before week one to play in Sunday’s season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints.
In the middle of all that, Smith seemed to take some offense to not being named a captain, as Jaire Alexander, Kenny Clark, and Adrian Amos earned the votes from their teammates to get that honor.