What Detroit Lions Are Getting in Za'Darius Smith

How veteran DE can be difference-maker in Detroit's defense.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99). / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions' pass-rush had been sputtering since the loss of Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending leg injury in Week 6.

Since Hutchinson went down, the Lions' defensive line has not recorded a sack. In fact, the defense, as a whole, has recorded just two sacks in the three games without the Defensive Player of the Year contender.

As a result, the Lions are hoping that newly acquired defensive end Za'Darius Smith will provide a boost of energy and production for a talented, yet underperforming defensive line group.

Smith has recorded five sacks in nine games with the Cleveland Browns, which fell to 2-7 on the year with a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The 32-year-old's stat line through nine games will rank among the best on the Lions' roster, though Detroit has played one fewer game than Cleveland due to the Week 5 bye. Smith's five sacks ranks first among active Lions, while his 27 pressures is tied-for-first with Alim McNeill.

He slots in as a starter as soon as he's ready to play in the Lions' system. He seems likely to line up opposite of Josh Paschal upon his return from illness, or James Houston and Al-Quadin Muhammad if Paschal is not recovered in Week 10.

Smith's ability to rush off the edge pairs nicely with Paschal's ability to set the edge in the run game. Below is an example of the tenacity that Smith rushes with, as he overpowers the Dallas Cowboys' right tackle for a sack in Week 1.

In terms of alignment, Smith has lined up outside of the opposing tackle on a majority of his snaps this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he has played 282 of his 319 snaps in this alignment, with 28 snaps lined up over the tackle and nine snaps lined up in the B-gap.

As for PFF's ratings, Smith has a 73.6 overall defensive grade, a 65.9 run defense grade and a 71.1 pass-rush grade. Smith's overall defensive grade would rank sixth on the Lions. The Lions currently have three defenders with a 90.0 grade or higher in Hutchinson and safeties Kerby Joseph (90.7) and Brian Branch (90.0).

Smith also fits from a leadership perspective. With Detroit's emphasis on culture, it was clear that the Lions would have to view him as a cultural fit in order to make this deal.

With rumors swirling of a potential trade on Sunday, several of Smith's Cleveland teammates weighed in on what the veteran has meant to the team.

"I mean, Z's my brother, man," Browns safety Juan Thornhill told reporters after the game. "He means a lot. Everybody's going to feel it if he's leaving here. It's going to hurt. He means a lot. He gets back there. He brings a lot of energy. He's one of the leaders of our defense, but I wish nothing but the best for him. It is going to be tough. It's going to be tough losing a guy like that."

Detroit's new addition will get opportunities to play against two of his former teams: the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions play the Packers on Thursday Night Football on Dec. 5 in Week 14, along with a season-finale showdown against the Vikings on a to-be-decided date.

The ability to play against former teams was a factor in Smith initially saying he would welcome a trade to the Lions, as he played three seasons for the Packers and one for the Vikings. He was traded from the Vikings to the Browns ahead of the 2023 season in exchange for a pair of fifth-round picks.

Smith is clearly an upgrade to the Lions' pass-rush, and has an opportunity to be a difference-maker in what the team hopes to be a championship season.