With star edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson sidelined for (most likely) the remainder of the season due to a fractured leg, the Detroit Lions are in dire need of bolstering their pass rush.
Hutchinson had been leading the NFL in multiple categories at the time of his injury, including 7.5 sacks, 45 pressures, 29 hurries, and eight quarterback hits, leaving a significant gap in the Lions’ defensive front.
Take away Hutchinson, Detroit’s defensive line has struggled to generate the same impact.
A group of six Lions players — Alim McNeil, Levi Onwuzurike, D.J. Reader, Malcolm Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske, and Marcus Davenport — have collectively matched Hutchinson’s 7.5 sacks, underlining the team’s need for reinforcements.
This challenge led CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin to suggest a potential trade that could land the Lions Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith as a temporary replacement for Hutchinson.
Benjamin pointed to the Browns’ horrendous 1-5 start as a reason for them to consider offloading defensive players, and the Lions’ need to find an edge rusher to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive.
“The Browns have every reason to be sellers, starting 1-5 but boasting a number of quality defensive assets, and Detroit has every reason to be buying at edge rusher, where star youngster Aidan Hutchinson is out indefinitely with a broken leg,” Benjamin wrote.
The 32-year-old Smith is no stranger to the NFC North, having previously played for the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
Although his production has slowed with the Browns this season — he’s tallied 10 pressures, seven hurries, three sacks, and two tackles for loss through six games — Benjamin argues that Smith would be a notable upgrade for Detroit’s defense.
“Smith has already toured the NFC North, starting with the Packers and also suiting up for the Vikings, and while he’s better suited as a rotational rusher at 32, he’d represent a clear upgrade for a thin unit in Motown, where the Lions are bent on making another run at the NFC title,” Benjamin added, suggesting that a 2025 fifth-round pick might be enough to do the trick.
One thing is for sure: the Lions would be getting an extremely motivated Smith who would theoretically be going from one of the NFL’s worst teams to one of the best. He’d also have a chance at payback against both the Packers and Vikings.
Smith’s addition would give Detroit a more credible threat off the edge, especially if James Houston, who had eight sacks and 17 pressures as a rookie in 2022, can recapture his form to pair with Smith.
What are your thoughts on the suggestion?
In the bigger picture, can the Lions still win the Super Bowl without Hutchinson???