Current:Home > MarketsZa'Darius Smith trade grades: Who won deal between Lions, Browns? -WorldMoney
Za'Darius Smith trade grades: Who won deal between Lions, Browns?
View
Date:2025-04-17 13:11:08
Dan Campbell doesn't have to answer for the Detroit Lions' trade deadline plans anymore.
Hours ahead of the NFL's cutoff for moves on Tuesday, the Lions agreed to acquire defensive end Za'Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns. According to multiple reports, Smith and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick will go to the Lions, who in turn will receive a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.
The move addresses a void that had stood for Detroit ever since Aidan Hutchinson suffered a broken tibia and fibula three weeks ago. The Pro Bowl defensive end was leading the NFL in sacks at the time, and his injury left Detroit perilously thin at a key position. Cleveland, meanwhile, continued to offload after earlier dealing Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills.
Za'Darius Smith trade grades
Lions: A-
With the 7-1 Lions off to their best start since 1956 and looking like a legitimate threat to make their first Super Bowl appearance, adding a starter at defensive end to replace Hutchinson was essentially a necessity for Brad Holmes. In Smith, 32, he found likely the best option on the market as far as a short-term fix for this team. The three-time Pro Bowl selection shouldn't be expected to reach the same heights Hutchinson did in what was looking like an NFL Defensive Player of the Year campaign – his 7 ½ sacks still account for 37.5% of the team's production in that category – but replacing his impact and production was never on the table. Smith, who has five sacks this year, should provide a good bit of pressure while still satisfying Campbell's demand to remain stout against the run. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn likely will still need to be creative in dialing up blitzes to help this front four – Detroit ranks sixth in blitz rate on the season at 29.8%, according to Pro Football Reference – but it's hard to beat this price and payoff.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Browns grade: C
For one of the best players still available on deadline day, this seems like a relatively meager return. Maybe there weren't enough other bidders for a half-season rental, but it's hard to believe that a proven product at a premium position wouldn't generate more interest as other teams gear up for a playoff push. Regardless, moving on from Smith was the right move for a franchise that needs to do some serious restocking in the draft given the drain that the Deshaun Watson trade created for its young talent.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
veryGood! (2228)
Related
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- Scientists trying to protect wildlife from extinction as climate change raises risk to species around the globe
- Is the US banning TikTok? What a TikTok ban would mean for you.
- Will Taylor Swift add 'Tortured Poets' to international Eras Tour? Our picks.
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Horoscopes Today, April 18, 2024
- 384-square foot home in Silicon Valley sells for $1.7 million after going viral
- Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis mourns death of his wife, who appeared with him in franchise's final film
- Sam Taylor
- Not a toddler, not a parent, but still love ‘Bluey’? You’re not alone
Ranking
- In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
- What is ARFID? 8-year-old girl goes viral sharing her journey with the rare eating disorder.
- Best lines from each of Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' songs, Pt. 1 & 2
- The most Taylor Swift song ever: 'I Can Do it With a Broken Heart' (track 13 on 'TTPD')
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Outage that dropped 911 calls in 4 states caused by light pole installation, company says
- 47 pounds of meth found in ice chest full of dead fish as car tries to cross US border
- Coco Gauff vs Caitlin Clark? Tennis star says she would love to go head-to-head vs. Clark
Recommendation
EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
Northern Ireland prosecutor says UK soldiers involved in Bloody Sunday won’t face perjury charges
Detroit Lions unveil new uniforms: Honolulu Blue and silver, white, and black alternates
The Transatlantic Battle to Stop Methane Gas Exports From South Texas
Could your smelly farts help science?
US restricts drilling and mining in Alaska wilderness
Too hot for a lizard? Climate change quickens the pace of extinction
Seeking ‘the right side of history,’ Speaker Mike Johnson risks his job to deliver aid to Ukraine