By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s GM explains the challenge of replacing Aidan Hutchinson mid-season, the Za’Darius Smith gamble, and why he’s confident in the current edge room
Patchwork Under Pressure: Finding Help After Hutch’s Injury
When Aidan Hutchinson’s season ended with a devastating leg injury last year, the Detroit Lions suddenly found themselves without their defensive heartbeat. Fans demanded splashy trades—names like Maxx Crosby trended on talk shows—but behind the scenes, general manager Brad Holmes discovered a harsher reality: “Teams didn’t even want to give up their third- and fourth-string players,” he told Chris Long on The Green Light podcast. Fear of their own injury dominoes kept phone lines mostly cold.
With the trade deadline looming, Holmes called every corner of the league and eventually pried Za’Darius Smith from Cleveland for a 2025 fifth- and 2026 sixth-round pick. Given how barren the market truly was, it was a minor miracle.
The Smith Deal: A Risk Worth Taking
Smith’s arrival steadied Detroit’s defense down the stretch, even if the price was a short-term rental. The veteran posted four sacks in eight games and emerged as a locker-room catalyst. Now a free agent, he hasn’t been shy about wanting to run it back in Honolulu blue: “We both know where I want to be. Hopefully I can get back to Detroit because the coaching staff and everybody in the front office are great,” Smith said at the BET Awards. “When I’m there I feel like a leader and like I can influence the young guys and do great things.”
Holmes politely sidestepped Smith’s status during his interview, but his grin suggested the door is still open.
Confidence in the Current Edge Corps
Pressed on Detroit’s pass-rush outlook, Holmes rattled off quick evaluations:
- Aidan Hutchinson “looks explosive.”
- Veteran Marcus Davenport “looks just as good” in early workouts.
- Mid-season pickup Al-Quadin Muhammad “played good football” in limited snaps.
- Sixth-round rookie Ahmed Hassanein “had the most production out of all the edge rushers in that class.”
In other words, Holmes believes the cupboard is far from bare, especially with first-rounder Tyleik Williams flashing interior push alongside Alim McNeill and D.J. Reader.
Trade Talk vs. Chemistry: The Lions’ Lean
Could Detroit swing another deal if injuries strike again? Absolutely—but Holmes made clear the preference is to win with the talent already in the building. Continuity matters in a defense built on relentless effort and thick-skinned culture.
Still, re-signing Smith would cost no draft capital and instantly deepen the rotation. With weeks remaining before training camp, the GM’s phone is undoubtedly still on—and a reunion might prove simpler, and cheaper, than hunting a new savior on the trade market.
Bottom Line: Brad Holmes pulled off one of 2024’s stealthiest trades when options were scarce. Heading into 2025, he’s betting on health, depth, and possibly a familiar face to keep Detroit’s pass rush ferocious—without mortgaging the future to do it.