Za'Darius Smith trade grades: Who won the Lions-Browns deal?

The Detroit Lions needed protect reinforcements. Aidan Hutchinson’s surgery limb near nan team’s separator rushing punchless. Despite wins successful Weeks 8 and 9, nan Lions managed conscionable a azygous sack successful that span.

The Cleveland Browns needed draught assets. Cleveland’s 2024 was declared a write-off location astir nan infinitesimal nan franchise traded for Deshaun Watson, moreover if we didn’t cognize it astatine nan time. At 2-7, nan hopes of repeating past season’s playoff quality had been efficaciously distinguished.

This made nan 2 sides evident creation partners. Roughly 8 hours earlier nan 2024 NFL waste and acquisition deadline, they tangoed. Veteran separator rusher Za’Darius Smith moved northbound for a 2025 5th information action and a late-draft switch travel 2026.

Trade position …

Lions get: DE Za’Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick.

Browns get: 2025 fifth-round prime and 2026 sixth-round pick.

Cleveland wanted a fourth. Didn’t rather get location but close. Lions get their rusher pinch long-discussed woody complete.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) November 5, 2024

Let’s make immoderate threat judgments astir nan deal.

The Za’Darius Smith waste and acquisition details

• Lions get: EDGE Za’Darius Smith, 2026 seventh information pick
• Browns get: 2025 5th information pick, 2026 sixth information pick

Lions grade

Smith isn’t nan crippled changer Hutchinson was, but he’s a stone coagulated seasoned who tin capable a spread astatine a debased cost. Cleveland was reportedly asking for a 4th information selection, but alternatively settled for a 5th and a 2026 late-round prime swap. In exchange, nan Lions get a erstwhile Pro Bowler who tin commencement successful their 2024 playoff push and settee into a rotational domiciled successful 2026 if necessary.

Smith’s 5 sacks are 2.5 much than immoderate patient subordinate connected nan Detroit roster, but they’re a spot of a mirage. They came alongside only 7 backmost hits, which suggests he’s been much fortunate than accordant — for example, he had 5.5 sacks successful 2023 connected 20 QB hits, which was unlucky, and 10 sacks connected 24 QB hits successful 2022, which is astir what you’d expect. His 8 speedy pressures (under 3 seconds) rank 40th among NFL walk rushers this fall. This furthers nan thought he’s a good, but not rather great, addition.

Fortunately, nan Lions don’t request great. They’ve sewage a boatload of talent crossed nan board. What they request is personification who tin get to nan backmost aft logging only a azygous sack nan past 2 games. That’s Smith. The mobility now is whether he tin proceed to win successful a defense that doesn’t person Myles Garrett creating nightmares connected nan other corner.

Grade: B+

Browns grade

Cleveland’s little foray into respectability ended successful Week 9 acknowledgment to a stomping from nan Los Angeles Chargers. That made Smith an evident campaigner to depart.

This will beryllium a bummer for Garrett, who continues to beryllium an absolute headache for opponents but now has to trudge done nan Browns’ 2024 swamp without Smith aliases emerging linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who was placed connected injured reserve pinch a cervix injury. With those 2 gone, location isn’t different non-interior lineman connected nan Cleveland roster pinch much than 4 backmost pressures this season.

But it’s reliable to interest astir different spread successful nan hull erstwhile nan Browns had already scuttled this ship. The return could person been better, but it’s still coagulated enough. Cleveland sewage draught assets for a roster that severely needs inexpensive starters astir Watson’s afloat guaranteed statement to beryllium nan NFL’s 37th-best backmost aft much than 20 accusations of intersexual misconduct and what nan NFL itself described arsenic “predatory behavior.” This is simply a tear down, truthful losing a support beam for illustration Smith isn’t a large deal.

Grade: B