The gap between Aidan Hutchinson and everyone else is far narrower than it was last season, but the loss of Marcus Davenport has undoubtedly left a void in the Detroit Lions' pass rush off the edge. The level to which filling that void is addressed, if at all in terms of an outside acquisition, is up for debate between now and the trade deadline in early November.
The Cleveland Browns are 1-4, and as long as they remain steadfastly committed to Deshaun Watson under center things aren't likely to get better. With that in mind, Mike Tanier of Too Deep Zone has put them on "Tank Watch."
The Browns look sure to be sellers at the trade deadline, and they should be open to moving virtually any veteran player that is either expensive or running out of contract term.
Browns' veteran edge rusher offered as trade target for the Lions
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports has proposed one trade deadline deal each NFL team should make. It's no surprise he tabbed an edge rusher as the trade target for the Lions.
"Acquire DE Za'Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns"
"If Cleveland wisely auctions off some of its more expensive vets, Smith could be a seamless partner for Aidan Hutchinson off the edge in Detroit. He's already repped two other NFC North squads before."
Smith, 32, has three sacks for the Browns so far this season and Pro Football Focus has graded him as a top-50 edge defender entering Week 6. In the "sacks are random" file, PFF has credited him with just nine pressures over five games this season-but he did have five pressures against Washington in Week 5. In 2022 and 2023, PFF graded him as a top-20 edge rusher in the league.
Smith has one year left on his contract after this year, but his $1.5 million base salary for 2025 is not guaranteed. The implications of the three void years/signing bonus proration after 2025 would stick with the Browns in a trade.
If the Lions go a little less than all the way bold to replace Davenport, Smith would seem to be in their wheelhouse as a trade target. The cost, likely a draft pick, would be low and the Browns might take whatever they can get.