Does Za'Darius Smith Trade Make Lions Super Bowl Favorites?

Lone Wolves podcast explores the impact of Lions' trade for Za'Darius Smith.

New Detroit Lions defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99). / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have acquired a popular trade target at the NFL's trade deadline.

After days of speculation, the Lions ultimately made the move to acquire Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith, along with a 2026 seventh-round pick, in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.

With general manager Brad Holmes deciding to address the team's biggest weakness by adding a proven veteran, the Lions are now viewed as one of the most complete rosters in the NFL.

"I think that they were Super Bowl contenders before the move," said co-host Christian Booher. "I think now that they've made the move, you've addressed your biggest weakness. It's hard to say they shouldn't be Super Bowl favorites moving forward. I think that when you take a look at how this roster is constructed, the consensus is that you're gonna have to score 30 just to beat the Lions."

The Lions' defense improves with the trade, while the offense has been near the best in the league throughout the year. With how complete Detroit's attack is, its roster, as constructed, makes a riveting case to be the league's best.

"You're gonna have to score to beat the Lions. I think that when Detroit doesn't beat themselves, and you saw that quite a bit against Tampa Bay in their lone loss in Week 2, as long as they don't beat themselves, they're gonna have a hard time losing games," Booher said. "Everybody's sole belief and their buy-in to the singular vision is really impressive. I think a lot of other teams who are viewed as contenders can probably take some notes, just based on the culture and how little drama there is coming out of Allen Park."

The latest "Lone Wolves" podcast examines the impact of the team's trade for Za'Darius Smith, plus analyzes the team's win over Green Bay and Brian Branch's ejection, before looking ahead to Detroit's Week 10 showdown with the Houston Texans.

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