As the Detroit Lions look toward the trade market for an edge rusher, they are reportedly among the teams who have called the Cleveland Browns about Za'Darius Smith. For his part, Smith seems to like his potential fit with the Lions.
Smith fits the physical profile the Lions want in an edge player (6-foot-4, 275 pounds). He's playing at a high level this season, with five sacks and a 70.0 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. He has also been on a little bit of a surge lately, with 14 pressures (according to PFF) over his last two games.
As part of their weekly "buzz" column heading into Week 9, ESPN's Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler are in concert that Smith could be on the move soon. Graziano named Smith as his player who's most likely to be traded next, citing his reasonable salary cost driving interest from teams and his age (32) meaning he's probably not part of the Browns' long-term plan.
Fowler added a bit of extra insight about Smith.
"Though Cleveland won’t be looking to dump core players, it could be active if the right opportunities arise,” Fowler wrote. “A decent Day 3 pick for Smith probably will get the job done, from what I’m hearing.”
Proposed trade cost for Za'Darius Smith should be right in Lions' wheelhouse
The Lions currently have five Day 3 picks in the 2025 draft: their own fourth-rounder, their own fifth-rounder, a sixth-rounder from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the Carlton Davis trade, their own seventh-rounder and a seventh-rounder from the Dallas Cowboys from the deal to move up and get Terrion Arnold in this year's draft.
The Lions can easily take on the prorated remainder of Smith's $1.21 million base salary for this year. His $1.5 million base salary for 2025 is non-guaranteed, with a lot his compensation tied to roster bonuses. If a "decent" Day 3 pick is what it would take to get him in a trade, the all-around cost seems to be exactly what the Lions are looking for if they make a trade for an edge rusher.
The Lions are right to keep their eyes open to all possibilities as the look to find an edge rusher who may be a fit via trade. But the draft pick cost Fowler offered further fortifies Smith as an ideal fit, and he may be the most ideal fit.