The Detroit Lions are pushing for a Super Bowl in 2025, and it seems like they have the roster to do it.
If there was a big weakness on the team's roster last season, it was the pass rush. Star edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson went down for the season in early October, and the rest of the guys on the roster couldn't pick up the slack.
However, the team did trade for Za'Darius Smith at the trade deadline, and the veteran was a solid addition. In eight games, Smith racked up 12 tackles, four sacks, and three tackles for loss.
Many assumed Smith would join a healthy Hutchinson on the edge in 2025, but the team decided to cut Smith earlier this offseason in a cost-cutting move. Smith has stayed available to this point, though, meaning a reunion with the Lions is possible.
Anthony Palacios of LWOS believes the Lions are still the best landing spot for Smith. Regarding the possible reunion, Palacios offered the following:
According to reports, Smith wants to come back and win a possible championship with one of the best defenders, Aidan Hutchinson, since he knows that he can help him. Originally selected in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the former Kentucky product was a depth replacement for Hutchinson’s absence after suffering a season-ending injury last year. He had a chance to return in this year’s Super Bowl, but after their brutal loss against the Washington Commanders, it didn’t happen the way they wanted to.
The Lions are not closing the door on the veteran, and he will probably get a one-year contract at a cheap rate, if anything, if they decide to offer him a new deal.
Palacios also mentioned that the Lions will likely have competition for Smith's services. Plenty of teams could use a veteran edge-rusher before the season, but it's possible Smith could prefer a return to Detroit.
Overall, Smith racked up 35 tackles, nine sacks, and nine tackles for loss in 2024 with the Browns and Lions. While clearly not an elite player anymore, Smith was at one point one of the top edge-rushers in the league.
Smith has been selected to three Pro Bowls and has achieved double-digit sacks three times. The veteran's best season came in 2019 with the Green Bay Packers when he collected 55 tackles and 13.5 sacks.
In Detroit, Smith would likely start opposite Hutchinson. Currently, the Lions have Marcus Davenport penciled in to start at that spot, but Davenport has just 2.5 sacks over the last two seasons and has dealt with injury issues.
Smith likely won't break the bank and will probably have to settle for a one-year deal at this point. Per Over the Cap, the Lions have around $40 million in remaining cap space, so it wouldn't be hard to make a move for Smith.