Lions complete trade for $23 million pass rusher Za’Darius Smith To Replace Aidan Hutchinson

At 6-1, the Detroit Lions have the top record in the NFC heading into Week 9. They will travel to Green Bay to face the Packers on Sunday, a game that might help Detroit start to pull away from their NFC North opponents in the early race for the division crown.

The Lions have one of the league’s greatest rosters, but they’re missing a key player when top pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson injured his tibia and fibula in Week 6. The third-year defensive end recorded 7.5 sacks before undergoing surgery, which is likely to keep him off the field until at least the Super Bowl, if the Lions make it.

Doug Farrar of AS has a trade idea that might help the Lions make a deep postseason run, allowing Hutchinson to return in February. Farrar stated that 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.”

In March, the Browns signed Smith to a two-year, $23 million contract. The 32-year-old’s salary makes him an easy trade target, and the Lions have $27.4 million in cap space this season to use to improve their team, according to Over the Cap.

The Lions would have to give up a Day 3 pick for Smith, but that shouldn’t be an issue for a team seeking to win the Super Bowl right now.

The Browns would benefit from receiving an additional draft pick in an offseason when they could begin the process of transitioning away from the Deshaun Watson era and rebuilding around a rookie quarterback in the 2025 class.

Smith has made 22 total tackles and five sacks in the Browns’ first eight games. The All-Pro stated earlier this season that he wouldn’t mind being traded to the NFC North, so the situation appears to be a win-win for both the Lions and Smith.