He joined the Lions after the Cleveland Browns’ bye week and therefore hadn’t received any rest during the season, as Detroit had already used their bye in Week 5. Without a break, Smith would have played an 18-game season—something rare in NFL history.

“The Lions and Browns have discussed a potential trade for defensive end Za’Darius Smith. At this point, the expectation is that it’ll be more than talk. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the current expectation is that Smith will be traded to Detroit tonight or tomorrow.” – Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

Newly acquired pass rusher Za'Darius Smith practiced for the first time with the Detroit Lions on Friday, and the veteran hopes to make an impact on what he called a "dominant" football team.

One of the NFL's top defensive ends, Za'Darius Smith, arrived to Detroit Lions from the Cleveland Browns on the final day of the trade deadline. One of the NFL‘s breakout teams, the Detroit Lions, made a highly successful move on the final day of the trade deadline by adding one of the league’s top defensive ends,

The NFL Trade Deadline is Tuesday, November 5. After playing collegiately at East Mississippi Community College as well as Kentucky, Smith declared for the NFL Draft and was eventually selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

The Lions are doing what they can to fill that Aidan Hutchinson-sized hole in their defense for their Super Bowl push.

The Detroit Lions are bolstering their pass rush by acquiring one of the top targets available at the trade deadline. Detroit completed a trade with the Cleveland Browns to get Za’Darius Smith and a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2025 and a sixth-round pick in 2026.

The Detroit Lions decided to hold off edge rusher Za'Darius Smith's debut for another week after making him inactive for the Week 10 game against the Houston Texans. Following the Lions' win, Smith explained why he didn't suit up.