The Detroit Lions haven’t ruled out bringing Za’Darius Smith, but all signs are pointing toward the Lions taking their time before negotiating with Smith on a new contract.
Detroit traded with the Cleveland Browns for Smith after Aidan Hutchinson’s season ended with a broken leg in a game against the Dallas Cowboys. He did exactly what he needed them to do. Then they cut him because they couldn’t afford his contract, per GM Brad Holmes.
Their hesitancy on working on a deal with Smith is warranted though. When you look at this draft class, there’s no shortage of EDGE rushers. They have some cheap options to work with in the NFL Draft.
Sure Smith is a proven veteran, but why loan him for a couple more seasons when you can draft the perfect complement to Hutchinson? It made sense for the Lions to pursue Smith last season because they needed immediate reinforcements.
This season, they need the long term answer. Take a page out of the Philadelphia Eagles’, the Lions can build through the draft. It would avoid them overspending for a player at the end of their career.
The Detroit Lions are right to hold out on re-signing Za’Darius Smith with deep draft class
The Lions have options when it comes to addressing their defensive line. The most obvious option is to draft. They hold the No. 28 pick, which could still yield them a solid pass rusher. That said, they could trade up if they feel they won’t be able to get who they’re eyeing.
I’m sure Smith is their final option. Not that he’s a bad option, but is Smith worth re-signing right now? With the Lions in contention in the NFC, it might be worth getting vets that are good enough to produce.
He had nine sacks this past season which proved he’s still a solid EDGE rusher. It was the first year since 2022 that he had more than 5.5 sacks. That’s proof it might be worth it. But the Lions can also look at the long term.
They could find someone in this draft that could fill that void. They could even look in the second round as well. Either way, the Lions aren’t in the wrong in waiting on Smith. There could be a better and cheaper option in the draft.
With Hutchinson coming back healthy next year, there’s not nearly as much urgency this year as it was last season.