Sportsnaut
The Detroit Lions kept themselves busy this offseason, splurging on cornerback D.J. Reed Jr. in NFL free agency and bringing back the likes of Levi Onwuzurike, Marcus Davenport and Derrick Barnes. However, there was one need that went largely unaddressed in the 2025 NFL Draft that could be addressed now with a veteran.
Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com believes the Lions are an ideal fit for free-agent pass rusher Za’Darius Smith. It would be a reunion for Smith, who was traded to Detroit midway through the 2024 season following the Aidan Hutchinson injury.
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“The Lions can bring Smith back to Detroit to help create the pressure this team has sorely needed. The upside on Smith is that he played solidly last season in an emergency role. He generated 40 pressures in his nine games with the Lions and his pass rush win rate of 21.5 percent was third on the team (after Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, who also was lost to an injury), per Pro Football Focus. Davenport is returning to Detroit on a one-year deal, but there’s nothing that says Smith can’t do the same thing.”
NFL.com’s Jeffri Chadiha on why Za’Darius Smith fits the Detroit Lions
It’s worth noting that reports surfaced in April that Smith remains on the Lions’ radar. While NFL teams have held off on signing some of the veterans available in NFL free agency until after the 2025 NFL Draft, to avoid impacting the compensatory pick formula, that wouldn’t be an issue for Detroit.
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Smith, who turns 33 in September, is a three-time Pro Bowl selection but he last earned those honors in 2022. Across 618 snaps played with the Lions and Cleveland Browns, the 6-foot-4 edge rusher performed relatively well as a role player.
Smith does offer familiarity with the Lions’ coaching staff and it’s reasonable to think he could perform even better with Hutchinson on the field. With a signing still on the table and an opportunity to compete with a Super Bowl contender, we may see Smith back on the Lions roster by July.
Read More: 2026 NFL Draft picks by team, Detroit Lions draft picks 2026
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