Dawgs By Nature
Browns and Lions could connect on a Za’Darius Smith trade before the NFL trade deadline
The Cleveland Browns are not in fire sale mode with the NFL trade deadline almost two weeks away but the Amari Cooper trade told other teams that they are open for business. We’ve shared that the Browns roster has a few players that could provide some decent returns in trades as well as two players who were projected in NFL trades on Saturday.
NFL trade rumors have been sparse so far with some names bandied about as options but very little reporting. Cleveland is aggressive in calls around the league so hearing that Browns DE Za’Darius Smith’s name is rumored, among the first, to be of interest to the Detroit Lions is not a surprise:
The 32-year-old Smith re-signed with Cleveland this offseason for two years but his pressures and hits on the quarterback (just three so far this year after 20 and 24 the last two seasons) are down. Smith has another year on his contract which could help his trade value especially as the Lions try to overcome the devastating injury to DE Aidan Hutchinson.
Earlier this week, Smith noted that going to Detroit would be something he would embrace:
“But if I was to go to Detroit, I would like it, because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year,” Smith told The Chronicle-Telegram this week. “So, yeah, that’ll be big.”
While the Lions have a big need and Super Bowl aspirations, Smith’s age and productivity might limit his trade compensation coming back to the Browns. That could be one reason, as Schefter reported, the team prefers to keep him. Smith’s value in Cleveland might be higher than the trade return.
That also could be a negotiation tactic leaked to the ESPN reporter.
Would dealing Smith, who has another year on his contract unlike Cooper, concern you for next year? What would the Browns have to get in return for you to be okay with a Smith trade?
