The Cleveland Browns traded defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions before the 4:00 p.m. EST trade deadline on Nov. 5. The Browns received a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for Smith and a 2026 seventh-rounder.
What it Means for Detroit
The 32-year-old had spent all of the 2023 season with Cleveland as well. He played every game in 2023, totaling 5.5 sacks. Smith already is up to five sacks this season through nine games. The Lions (7-1) are in desperate need of a pass rusher after the injury to their star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The third-year star broke his fibula and tibia during the week six matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. He is expected to most likely be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing emergency surgery for the injuries.
The Lions are currently the clear Super Bowl favorites in the NFC. Adding Smith to help their pass rush with the loss of Hutchinson only further increases their chances as they continue preparing for a postseason run.
What it Means for Cleveland
The Lions will pay the remaining $605,000 left on Smith’s deal this season. He is slated to make $1.5 million next year with his base salary. Cleveland already had paid Smith $11.3 million this season prior to this trade being made. The Browns (2-7) do need to begin prioritizing draft picks and adding young players as it seems their window to compete in the postseason as legitimate Super Bowl contenders has closed.
Smith was originally brought in to help create pressure opposite of Myles Garrett. With the team likely needing to go through a sort of rebuild now, keeping Smith did not make sense long-term. The Browns getting a small return for him while they could is absolutely important with the current trajectory of the organization. The team is struggling more than they ever have under head coach Kevin Stefanski. Making this move can possibly help them add more talent for the team to use in the future.
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