Defensive End Wanted for $42 Million in Lions’ “Overhaul” of Edge Rush
The Detroit Lions’ pass rush was frequently a source of inconsistent play in 2023, despite the team making some notable defensive improvements.
According to USA Today’s Jeff Risdon, the Lions are expected to make changes to their edge-rushing group this offseason. A three-time Pro Bowler would make sense as a backup for star Aidan Hutchinson. Za’Darius Smith, a former edge rusher for the Cleveland Browns, could be a “under-the-radar” addition to the Lions this offseason to help replace some of the veteran leadership that the team will be losing, according to Risdon.
Lions Selected to Include “Productive” Veteran Risdon pointed out that with several veterans expected to leave in free agency, the Lions’ pass-rushing group will probably see some major changes this offseason.
“The Lions may be shopping for a more productive veteran seeking a final Super Bowl opportunity, as they are revamping the EDGE position with Julian Okwara already in Philadelphia and Charles Harris and his brother Romeo both free agents. Smith is that, Risdon wrote.
Before free agency opens in March, Risdon observed that Smith doesn’t seem to be receiving much attention, particularly considering that he has 15.5 sacks over the previous two seasons. That may be partially due to Smith’s decline in 2023, when he played with the more effective Myles Garrett and only recorded 5.5 sacks and 27 total tackles.
However, Smith might still be a valuable addition to a team that had trouble locating a reliable pass rusher to replace Hutchinson. Hutchinson, a sophomore, accounted for nearly thirty percent of the team’s sack total with 11.5 sacks. No other player finished the year with more than five sacks.
Risdon wrote that Smith could provide the consistency that Hutchinson and the rest of the unit lacked.
“Smith, who is 33 years old, is not the same Pro Bowl player that Lions fans may remember from the Packers a few years ago,” he wrote. “Nevertheless, he remains a proficient outside-in pass rusher with the ability to finish in the backfield and plays with disciplined position.”
Smith signed a one-year, $10.5-million contract with the Browns last year, and is two years removed from a three-year, $42-million deal with the Minnesota Vikings. However, Smith might be a more cost-effective addition for the Lions.
The Canadian Football League star Mathieu Betts was signed by the Lions to a contract, marking the beginning of the team’s defensive restructuring. The former Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the CFL chose the B.C. Lions over other NFL suitors, recording 18 sacks in 18 games.
Betts’ agent, Sasha Ghavami, told the Detroit Free Press, “He had offers in both leagues and ultimately the fit in Detroit, they’ve had continued interest in him ever since he worked out for them.” “The fit is excellent. He seems to be the kind of player they are looking for—high-energy, highly motivated, and willing to give it his all. And I believe that he saw it as an additional chance to enter the NFL and succeed. high-motor, ready to put everything into it. And, in my opinion, he saw it as an additional chance to enter and succeed in the NFL. He believes in his skills and, in my opinion, is just waiting for the chance.
