By Mummy Grace 
Lions GM Brad Holmes recently sat down with Chris Long and pulled the curtain back on just how hard it was to find a replacement. Holmes admitted he worked the phones non-stop, but the truth was, even third-string players were off-limits for many teams who were afraid of their own injury situations.
Despite rumors and fan hopes about snagging someone like Maxx Crosby from the Raiders, Holmes hit wall after wall. By Thanksgiving—and well past the trade deadline—Detroit was forced to piece things together by grabbing guys off practice squads. That’s how players like Myles Adams (Seahawks), Jonah Williams (Rams), and Kwon Alexander (Broncos) ended up in Honolulu blue.
Still, Holmes pulled off one of the most underrated moves of the season when he landed Za’Darius Smith from the Browns. It took just a 2025 fifth-rounder and a 2026 sixth to get the deal done. A savvy move, even if Smith became a free agent at season’s end. And Smith has made it clear—he wants to come back.
“I feel like a leader in Detroit,” Smith said recently. “Hopefully I can get back there.”
When Long pressed Holmes for updates on Smith, the GM played it cool and shifted the focus to current guys in the room. Hutchinson is looking explosive, Marcus Davenport is finally healthy, and rookie Ahmed Hassanein has already flashed big-time upside. First-rounder Tyleik Williams? Holmes says he’s developing well inside.
If Detroit doesn’t bring Smith back, it won’t be for lack of internal options. But Holmes made it clear—pulling off EDGE trades in the middle of the season is far harder than fans think.
Still, with Smith and the Lions reportedly staying in touch, a reunion might still be in play—and it’d be a whole lot easier than trying to trade for someone again.