Za'Darius Smith trade: Evaluating the Detroit Lions' move

It took a while to work out the details, but the Detroit Lions were finally able to get a deal done before Tuesday's trade deadline. Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith is headed to Detroit after agreeing to a trade.

Let's break down the trade and give an overall grade on the move.

Conditions

As a reminder, here are the acquisition costs:

Lions receive:

• Za'Darius Smith
• 2026 seventh-round pick

Browns get:

• 2025 fifth-round pick
• 2026 sixth round pick

It became clear in recent days that the Browns wanted a fourth-round pick, but Lions general manager Brad Holmes stood his ground and found an alternative way to give the Browns more than just a fifth-round pick.

But was it really so much more than a fifth-round pick? Remember, the Lions are almost certainly headed to the playoffs this year and are hoping for a good run. That means this pick will be for the fifth round late in the round. It doesn't seem like it would be that important to consider trading 2026 picks, especially since Holmes isn't losing a pick in this draft, just downgrading it. And if the Browns continue on their current path, will a Lions sixth-round pick in 2026 be that far away from a Browns seventh-round pick?

Last week, the Chiefs traded Josh Uche for a 2026 sixth-round pick. Although the cost is higher here, Uche is on an expiring contract and is nowhere near the player (or fit) that Smith is.

Subject grade: A

Financial costs

There are almost no financial costs for the Lions. Detroit only needs to pick up the remaining prorated salary for 2024 ($605,000).

If Detroit wants to keep Smith through 2025, things are a little more complicated. He has a salary of $1.5 million, an option bonus of $5.592 million, hitting the cap over three voided years, a roster bonus of $2 million, and in-game bonuses totaling $510,000. Dollar.

In short, it would cost them around $9.6 million in cash, but the cap would be spread out. Against the cap, he would cost about $5.4 million in 2025, and if his contract is automatically voided in 2026, it would cost Detroit about $4.2 million in dead cap.

If Detroit chooses not to keep him for 2025, they can cut him before the option and roster bonus are met, leaving them with no dead cap on their books.

Financial grade: A+

Schematic fit

The Lions like their defensive ends big and physical. Well, I would like to introduce you to the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Za'Darius Smith. At 32, he may no longer be at his athletic peak, but he still has some passing moves to counteract his power moves. Miss Aidan Hutchinson's spin move? I have good news:

Perhaps more importantly, Smith is a willing and capable edge player. Over the last five games, the Lions' defense has struggled uncharacteristically, allowing 124.2 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. Smith has a solid PFF run defense grade of 65.9 this season. Comparatively, other Lions defensive ends perform as follows in run defense:

• James Houston: 32.0
• Al-Quadin Muhammad: 41.9
• Isaiah Thomas: 55.0

Additionally, Smith can move around the defensive line. Take this excerpt from this week's Pride of Detroit Direct newsletter via Brett Whitefield of Fantasy Points:

“He’s a guy you can put together to get the best look. This year alone, he has lined up from the 3-point position to the wide-9 position to the inside 3 and everything in between. He can rush over a tight end from a 2-point stance. He excelled at stepping inside from a 2-point stance and charging into either the A gap or B gap as a “Mug” LB rusher. He was great at stunts, turns and delays, and you can even play him in that SAM LB role that the Lions have tried with players like Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske.”

Schematic fit grade: A

talent

Is this a trade on the level of Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett? Obviously not. Is Smith at the peak of his career? No. But for what essentially amounts to a mid-day 3 pick, Smith is as good as you can get.

However, you should temper your expectations a bit. Smith won't be a double-digit sack man in Detroit. There are legitimate questions about whether he can maintain his production without Garrett drawing attention on the other side of the line. And despite playing alongside strong teammates in Cleveland, Smith has had two or fewer pressures in five of nine games this year.

Of course, he also has at least five pressures in three of these five games. He will also benefit from DJ Reader and Alim McNeill eating up space in the middle. If Smith gets more attention in Detroit, that could give McNeill, Reader or Josh Paschal a chance to make plays – and they've all proven capable of winning their duels.

Smith isn't playing the best football of his career, but he's an above-average starter, he's still capable of playing 60-70% of the snaps per game, and he's a veteran who can even help Detroit's junior team.

Talent grade: B

In total

There's a reason the Lions' EDGE search seemed to focus too much on Smith. He's a great fit, a well-rounded player, and a Dan Campbell type, all at an extremely affordable price in both draft picks and cap hits.

Overall grade: A