The Detroit Lions added a pass rusher before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, acquiring veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith in a deal with the Cleveland Browns, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The first-place Lions, who have been seeking defensive end depth since Aidan Hutchinson’s leg injury last month, also received a 2026 seventh-round draft selection from the Browns, who landed a 2025 fifth-rounder and a 2026 sixth-rounder in the trade, sources told Schefter.
Smith, 32, has five sacks in nine games this season, his second with the Browns. The three-time Pro Bowler has 65 career sacks over parts of 10 seasons with the Browns, Vikings, Packers and Ravens.
The Lions (7-1) as a team own a 30.6% pass-rush win rate in their three games since Hutchinson’s injury — ranking 26th in the NFL during that stretch.
