One of the NFL‘s breakout teams, the Detroit Lions, made a highly successful move on the final day of the trade deadline by adding one of the league’s top defensive ends, Za’Darius Smith. Arriving from the Cleveland Browns, the talented pass rusher comes in to fill the void left by Aidan Hutchinson, in what is a very smart move by the front office.
His arrival was delayed longer than expected, as both franchises struggled to finalize the trade. Frustrated by the situation, the player impulsively posted “SMH” on his X (formerly Twitter) account, expressing the impatience he was feeling at that moment.
Once the trade was finalized and in his first appearance before the media as a Lion, Smith admitted: “It was just taking too long. It was taking too long,” Smith said. “But obviously they got it done, and I deleted it man. Sorry to the fans that were thinking otherwise.”
Although his presence in the upcoming game against the Texans has not been confirmed, Smith wouldn’t have any issues playing as soon as possible: “It’s more about just getting the plays in, and knowing the blitzes,” Smith said. “They basically want me to be on cue for the blitzes, so hopefully something can work out here in the next 24 hours.”
Za’Darius Smith #99 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates after a sack in the fourth quarter of a game against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field on October 27, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Smith, who recently played for the Browns and also has a history with the Minnesota Vikings, may be one of the most notable additions of this trade deadline, significantly strengthening Dan Campbell‘s defense.
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Smith and his gratitude towards the Browns
Lengthy negotiations took place between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions before Za’Darius Smith could finally become teammates with Jared Goff. Once the deal was done, the DE expressed his gratitude to his former team for allowing him to join the Lions.
“(I) thank them, man, for just having me for two years—well, a year and a half—and trading me here for basically giving me a chance to go do something great,” Smith said.
Will Smith make his debut this weekend?
To continue their winning streak, the Detroit Lions will face the always tough Houston Texans this weekend. The question for Dan Campbell and his staff is whether or not Za’Darius Smith will be able to make his debut.
According to the team’s update on social media, the defensive end is listed as questionable, meaning his availability is still uncertain. Smith joined the team this week and was able to participate in a practice with his teammates.
Regarding his situation, the head coach shared with the press: “We’ll have him out there, get him moving around a little bit and we’re prepared to see what we can do and where we can go with it,” Campbell said Friday morning.
Head coach Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions looks on prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 03, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
What’s next for the Detroit Lions?
- vs Houston Texans, November 10th
- vs Jacksonville Jaguars, November 17th
- vs Indianapolis Colts, November 24th
- vs Chicago Bears, November 28th
- vs Green Bay Packers, December 5th
