Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Lions have been making trade calls about potential deals for defensive ends ahead of this year’s trade deadline after the injury to DE Aiden Hutchinson.
However, Schefter explains that the Lions are restricted in the type of defensive end they could acquire, given that they’ve signed some players to extension and are planning to do the same for some others.
Beyond that, Schefter says the Lions would “need the help and cooperation of another trading team, and so far, a deal has not presented itself.”
Schefter specifically mentions Browns DE Za’Darius Smith as someone the Lions could have interest in.
Smith, 32, is a former fourth-round pick of the Ravens back in 2015. He played out the final year of his four-year rookie contract before agreeing to a four-year, $66 million contract with the Packers in 2019.
Smith had one year remaining on his contract and was set to make a base salary of $14,500,000 for the 2021 season when the Packers released him.
The Ravens reached an agreement with Smith on a four-year deal worth $35 million, but he opted to back out of the deal and sign a three-year, $42 million contract with the Vikings. From there, the Vikings traded Smith to the Browns and he agreed to a two-year, $23.5 million contract with Cleveland this past March.
In 2024, Smith has appeared in all six games for the Browns and recorded 16 tackles and three sacks.
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