The Detroit Lions have had a gaping hole on their defensive line in the wake of Aidan Hutchinson suffering a fractured tibia and fibula, which is expected to end his season. As a result, the Lions have been active on the trade market looking for a defensive lineman, and that has led them to the Cleveland Browns, who have veteran sack artist Za'Darius Smith at their disposal.
While the Lions still have some talented pass rushers on their roster, they still need someone to replace Hutchinson. Smith isn't as explosive of a player as Hutchinson, but he has a track record of being able to bring down opposing quarterbacks, and with Detroit's pursuit ramping up, reports have suggested that a deal will be completed over the next day or so.
“The Lions and Browns have discussed a potential trade for defensive end Za’Darius Smith. At this point, the expectation is that it’ll be more than talk. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the current expectation is that Smith will be traded to Detroit tonight or tomorrow.” – Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk
Za'Darius Smith could be just what Lions pass rush needs
Smith is in the process of putting together a nice bounce back campaign, as he's racked up five sacks through eight games with Cleveland. The Browns have crawled out to a 2-6 start this season, though, so they could look to sell off some spare pieces ahead of the trade deadline. That has made Smith a prime trade candidate, and with the Lions needing reinforcements on their defensive line, it makes sense why they are viewed as the top suitor for Smith.
According to these reports, a deal between the Lions and Browns for Smith is as good as done. Detroit is going to be focused on beating the Green Bay Packers in their huge Week 9 matchup first, but once that game concludes, all eyes are going to turn to Smith. With the trade deadline right around the corner, both sides will have an incentive to hammer this deal out, and it will be interesting to see if they are able to get it across the finish line.
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