The Detroit Lions enter Week 9 with the NFC’s best record at 6-1. They will travel to play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a matchup that could help Detroit start to put distance on their NFC North rivals in the early race for the divisional title.
The Lions have one of the league’s best rosters, but they’re missing a critical piece after star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson suffered an injury to his tibia and fibula in Week 6. The third-year defensive end recorded 7.5 sacks before having surgery that is expected to keep him off the field until at least the Super Bowl–if the Lions make it.
Doug Farrar with AS has a trade proposal in mind that could help the Lions make a deep postseason run so Hutchinson can make a return in February. Farrar suggested the Lions could acquire Za’Darius Smith from the 2-6 Cleveland Browns.
“Detroit under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has upped the blitz rate since then (a league-high 46.1% of opponent dropbacks in Weeks 7-8), but you don’t want to live that way, because it obviously affects your coverage profile,” Farrar wrote. “So, Smith would be an absolutely amazing addition, because a guy with his skills makes it possible to successfully rush with four and five, and avoid those instances when your cornerbacks and safeties are falling short.”
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
The Browns signed Smith to a two-year deal worth $23 million in March. The 32-year-old’s salary makes him an easy trade piece, and the Lions have $27.4 million in cap space this season that they can spend to boost their roster, per Over the Cap.
The Lions would have to part with a Day 3 pick for Smith, but that shouldn’t be a problem for a team looking to win a Super Bowl right now.
The Browns would benefit from gaining an extra draft pick in an offseason where they could begin the process of moving away from the Deshaun Watson era and rebuilding around a rookie quarterback in the 2025 class.
Smith has 22 total tackles and five sacks through the Browns’ first eight games. The All-Pro said earlier this season that he wouldn’t mind being traded to the NFC North, so the situation seems like a win-win for the Lions and Smith.
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