The Detroit Lions found some help in the pass rush after Aidan Hutchinson was lost to a season-ending fractured leg, landing Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith at the trade deadline.
Though Hutchinson is healthy and expected to be back on the field for opening day, an insider suggested the Lions could once again call on Smith for some help rushing the passer.
Smith remains a free agent after being released by the Lions earlier this offseason, but ESPN’s Matt Bowen suggested that Detroit would be the top fit to sign Smith.
Za’Darius Smith Reunion ‘Makes a Lot of Sense’
Bowen noted that the Lions are still relatively thin in their pass rushing group, adding some talent in the NFL draft but largely keeping the position the same. That could leave an opening for Smith to return to the role he played down the final stretch of last season, when he filled in for Hutchinson and recorded 4.0 total sacks.
“The Lions took only one edge rusher in the 2025 draft (Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein), leaving a need for a veteran opposite Aidan Hutchinson,” Bowen wrote. “So even though Detroit released Smith in March, bringing him back on another deal makes a lot of sense.”
Though Smith hasn’t gotten a lot of interest in free agency, Bowen added that he seems to have plenty left in the tank and could be a good contributor playing alongside Hutchinson.
“Smith was productive after getting traded from Cleveland to Detroit before the deadline last season,” Bowen wrote. “In eight games with the Lions, he had four sacks and 20 pressures. He’s a speed-to-power rusher who can get interior one-on-ones as a standup nose tackle or 3-technique. That’d give Detroit’s new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard more matchup ability up front.”
The Lions struggled at times to establish a consistent pass rush after Hutchinson’s injury, despite Smith’s contributions. It could benefit the team to add another proven pass rusher who can line up alongside the budding star in Hutchinson.
Lions May Have Plans to Bring Back Za’Darius Smith
Some insiders believe the Lions have had a plan to bring back Smith all along. In a mailbag published on March 29, The Athleticâs Colton Pouncy suggested that the Lions were planning to let the 32-year-old test the open market with an offer waiting back in Detroit if he didn’t find anything better.
Pouncy compared Smith’s situation to Von Miller, another veteran taking a slow approach to free agency after he was released by his team this offseason.
âIâll be honest, the longer Smith goes unsigned, the more I wonder if the Lions are letting him take his time and would like to remain involved,â Pouncy wrote. âThatâs sort of how they were able to land C.J. Gardner-Johnson. [Lions general manager Brad] Holmes told reporters he didnât know if theyâd be able to sign him, but was in contact with his agent throughout the process. When his market didnât materialize the way he thought it would, Detroit was the landing spot. So, I do wonder if the Lions had a similar conversation with Smith.â
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