Lions Emerge as Top Contender to Re-Sign Pro Bowl Defensive End
The Detroit Lions bolstered their pass rush at last season’s trade deadline by acquiring Pro Bowler Za’Darius Smith after Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending fractured leg.
Although Hutchinson is healthy and set to return for the season opener, an NFL insider believes the Lions could once again turn to Smith for additional pass-rushing help.
Smith remains a free agent following his release by Detroit earlier this offseason, but ESPN’s Matt Bowen named the Lions as the most logical destination for the veteran edge rusher.
Za’Darius Smith Reunion Appears Logical for Detroit
Bowen pointed out that Detroit’s pass rushing unit remains relatively thin, even after adding some depth in the NFL Draft. The Lions selected only one edge rusher, Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein, which leaves room for a seasoned veteran to fill the role Smith previously held. Last season, Smith stepped in for Hutchinson and tallied four sacks down the stretch.
“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.”
Despite limited interest from other teams during free agency, Bowen believes Smith still has plenty to offer and could thrive 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 to consistently pressure quarterbacks after Hutchinson’s injury. Reuniting with a proven edge rusher like Smith could strengthen the team’s defensive front and provide balance opposite their star defender.
Lions May Be Strategically Waiting on Smith’s Return
Some insiders believe the Lions have always intended to bring back Smith. In a March 29 mailbag, The Athletic’s Colton Pouncy suggested Detroit allowed the 32-year-old to explore free agency, keeping the door open for his return if no better offers emerged.
Pouncy compared Smith’s approach to that of Von Miller, another veteran edge rusher who is taking a measured approach to free agency after his release.
“I’ll 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,” Pouncy wrote. “That’s sort of how they were able to land C.J. Gardner-Johnson. [Lions general manager Brad] Holmes told reporters he didn’t know if they’d be able to sign him, but was in contact with his agent throughout the process. When his market didn’t 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.”
