Lions on Notice: 5 Teams Ready to Pounce on Za’Darius Smith

As the Detroit Lions mine the trade market for an edge rusher, to whatever degree, the time to make a move is obviously dwindling as the Nov. 5 deadline creeps closer.

There has been plenty of reporting and speculation tying the Lions to Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith. Smith may want to play for them, the rumored cost seems incredibly reasonable and he fits what the Lions want in an edge player all the way around.

Smith’s age (32) pushes him out of the Browns’ future plans, and the cheap cost of the rest of his contract really pushes him as an appealing trade target. Multiple teams are likely to be interested in him, and it’s well-founded.

While one of their division rivals acted quickly to fill the void left by a major injury, the Lions haven’t yet made a move to replace Aidan Hutchinson. Doing a lot of due diligence and surveying a lot of options is fine, but there comes a time for action and that time is winding down.

As much as Smith and the Lions feel like a perfect trade match, Detroit surely has competition as the Browns are likely fielding multiple offers. There’s a good chance Smith is in another uniform by 4 p.m. ET next Tuesday, and an equally good chance it’s not tinted with Honolulu Blue if the Lions drag their feet.

Here are five teams who could steal Smith out from under the Lions before the trade deadline.

5 teams who could swoop in and steal Za’Darius Smith from the Lions

5. Dallas Cowboys

The 3-4 Cowboys could be on either side of the trade deadline buyer-seller line, but if we know Jerry Jones at all they’re more likely to be a buyer. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell nailed the sentiment in his new column about teams who should add or subtract at the trade deadline.

On a less-buzzy, Jones seeking attention and headlines front, the Cowboys absolutely need help defensively. Smith would not be costly on the salary front, so any excuse to not try to add him based on cost automatically rings hollow even if Jones thinks he’s smarter than everyone else.

With Jones running the show, and since he’s generally unchecked as owner and general manager, the Cowboys also often overpay in trades (see the Trey Lance deal). The Browns would be smart to take advantage of that if Dallas makes an offer that’s better than anyone else’s, and no one would blame them for doing so.

The bottom line: the Cowboys, however delusional it might be, are a sneaky threat to steal Smith from the Lions before the trade deadline.

4. Baltimore Ravens

The Browns may have zero inclination to send Smith to a division rival, and with that in mind their easy preference might be to send him to an NFC team if trade offers are equal. But the idea of trading someone to a division rival is no longer as taboo as it once seemed to be.

For some reason, the Ravens acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers this week. But their issues defensively are well-known, and set to be the thing that holds them back from any big goals for this season. Smith would certainly help a pass rush that has been lacking, and overall general manager Eric DeCosta doesn’t seem inclined to sit on his hands to address the Ravens’ defense before the deadline.

3. Arizona Cardinals

Once looking like potential trade deadline sellers, the Cardinals have won two in a row now sit atop the NFC West based on tie breakers (2-0 in the division) heading into Week 9. They also have issues with their pass rush, with just 15 sacks and deeper pass rush metrics (pressure rate, hurry rate, etc.) that are near the bottom of the league so far this season

The Cardinals, like the Lions, have a lot of realistic options on the trade market to fill a pass rush void. Unlike the Lions, they could opt to do nothing about it and they’d not necessarily be wrong. But the NFC being unexpectedly up for grabs right now pushes the idea Arizona could nab Smith from Detroit’s grasp.

2. Atlanta Falcons

Matthew Judon has not had the impact the Falcons hoped he would after they acquired him from the New England Patriots (1.5 sacks this season, none since Week 2; Pro Football Focus’ 109th-graded edge defender through Week 8). They have a league-low six sacks entering Week 9.

Yes, Smith is the same age as Judon (32). But Smith is actually playing at a high level this season, as a top-40 graded edge rusher from PFF with five sacks and a solid surge in his play lately (two sacks and 14 pressures over his last two games). So Atlanta should be eyeing Smith as a supplement to their pass rush, and an ideal cover if Judon can’t turn around his performance going forward.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman never leaves a perceived need unaddressed, or ignores the possibility to fortify an area of the team with a consistent eye on a deep playoff run in any given year.

While Philadelphia’s 20 sacks aren’t egregiously bad in league ranks entering Week 9 (middle of the pack), no one on the team currently has more than three sacks and like the Cardinals their deeper pressure metrics are toward the bottom of the league.

The 5-2 Eagles could make the Browns an offer for Smith they should not refuse, perhaps better than the rumored “good Day 3 draft pick.” As a fellow top contender in the NFC, the Lions cannot let the generally aggressive on the trade front Eagles have Smith without making their absolute best offer.