As the Detroit Lions mine the trade market for an edge rusher, to whatever degree, the time to make a move is obviously dwindling as the Nov. 5 deadline creeps closer.
There has been plenty of reporting and speculation tying the Lions to Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith. Smith may want to play for them, the rumored cost seems incredibly reasonable and he fits what the Lions want in an edge player all the way around.
Smith's age (32) likely pushes him out of the Browns' future plans, and the cheap cost of the rest of his contract really pushes him as an appealing trade target. Multiple teams are likely to be interested in him, and it's well-founded.
While one of their division rivals acted quickly to fill the void left by a major injury, the Lions haven't yet made a move to replace Aidan Hutchinson. Doing a lot of due diligence and surveying a lot of options is fine, but there comes a time for action and that time is winding down.
As much as Smith and the Lions feel like a perfect trade match, Detroit surely has competition as the Browns are likely fielding multiple offers. There's a good chance Smith is in another uniform by 4 p.m. ET next Tuesday, and an equally good chance it's not tinted with Honolulu Blue if the Lions drag their feet.
Here are five teams who could steal Smith out from under the Lions before the trade deadline.
5 teams who could swoop in and steal Za'Darius Smith from the Lions
5. Dallas Cowboys
The 3-4 Cowboys could be on either side of the trade deadline buyer-seller line, but if we know Jerry Jones at all they're more likely to be a buyer. ESPN's Bill Barnwell nailed the sentiment in his new column about teams who should add or subtract at the trade deadline.
New column ($): Should your team be a buyer or seller at the trade deadline? Including the Cowboys, who should sell but will probably buy to win a sports radio conversationhttps://t.co/BqlxXt1129 pic.twitter.com/FAt5PUm4c8
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 31, 2024
On a less-buzzy, Jones seeking attention and headlines front, the Cowboys absolutely need help defensively. Smith would not be costly on the salary front, so any excuse to not try to add him based on cost automatically rings hollow even if Jones thinks he's smarter than everyone else.
With Jones running the show, and since he's generally unchecked as owner and general manager, the Cowboys also often overpay in trades (see the Trey Lance deal). The Browns would be smart to take advantage of that if Dallas makes an offer that's better than anyone else's, and no one would blame them for doing so.
The bottom line: the Cowboys, however delusional it might be, are a sneaky threat to steal Smith from the Lions before the trade deadline.