It’s a tough pill to swallow, fellow sports fans, but you read it right: The Detroit Lions have released Za’Darius Smith. It wasn’t an easy call, but it was one they had to make.
Detroit Lions Thought Process
Remember back in November when we lost Aidan Hutchinson? The Lions knew they had to make a move at the trade deadline, and they did, roping in Smith from the Cleveland Browns. The guy showed up and showed out on the field, becoming the team’s leading pass rusher, racking up 36 pressures and five sacks in just eight games. He may not have matched Hutchinson’s numbers, but he certainly wasn’t slouching out there.
We all thought Smith would stick around in 2025, right? Wrong. The Lions have decided to cut him loose. The issue? Smith’s contract structure. He was due a hefty $8.99 million in bonuses on the third day of the new league year (which, if you’ve been keeping track, is next week, March 15). If he had continued playing for the Lions, his salary would have jumped to $11 million for 2025. And if he hadn’t re-signed after that? He would have counted as a whopping $5,242,500 against the cap in 2026, even without being on the team – all because of those sneaky void years in his deal.
Final Thoughts
Sure, the Lions could handle the cap space next season, but let’s be real: that’s a lot of dough for a 33-year-old edge rusher. Plus, it frees up some cash that could be used to scout some fresh, young talent for the position.
The silver lining? By parting ways with Smith before the new league year, there’s no dead money to pay, and guess what? The Lions just saved over $5.7 million against the cap. And with that $11 million contract no longer in the picture, things just got a whole lot smoother for the Lions. So, yeah, it’s the end of an era with the departure of Smith. And hey, let’s not forget to put our Myles Garrett to the Detroit Lions dreams to bed once and for all (not that they were ever truly alive to begin with).
