By Blessing 
At first glance, it may seem puzzling that the Detroit Lions decided to move on from Za’Darius Smith. But a closer look at the situation reveals the financial challenge that made the decision nearly unavoidable. Smith’s contract was set to pay out nearly $9 million in bonuses on the third day of the 2025 league year—an understandably tough pill for the Lions to swallow. And when a contract restructure or pay cut couldn’t be agreed upon, the team made the move to release the veteran edge rusher right before free agency began.
From a salary cap perspective, the decision was clear-cut. Letting Smith go freed up $5.7 million in cap space, and the Lions didn’t have to absorb any dead money. That’s a win in terms of financial flexibility. But what they’ve done—or more accurately, haven’t done—since then raises some eyebrows.
So far, Detroit’s answer to replacing Smith at edge rusher has been to re-sign Marcus Davenport, which stands as their most notable move in that area. Beyond that, there have been a few minor re-signings, but nothing that genuinely moves the needle. It appears the Lions are putting their faith in a deep 2025 draft class to restock the edge position, rather than pursuing proven talent in free agency.
But here’s the thing: if this ultimately came down to choosing between Davenport and Smith, there’s a strong case that Detroit made the wrong call.
As the third week of free agency nears, Smith remains on the open market. Naturally, that’s sparked speculation about whether a reunion with the Lions could be on the table. It’s not entirely out of the question, though if Smith’s release was truly tied to his unwillingness to take a pay cut, the odds of a return don’t look great. Still, if he struggles to find the deal he wants elsewhere, that door might crack open a little.
Interestingly, the national conversation around Smith continues to emphasize just how much value he still brings to a team. ESPN’s Matt Bowen recently ranked the top remaining free agents (subscription required), and Smith landed at No. 12 on the list of 23 players. Bowen’s scouting report is telling:
“Last season — with both the Browns and Lions — Smith had nine sacks and 38 pressures. He’s a speed-to-power rusher who can also align as a standup nose or 3-technique to get interior one-on-ones. Smith could help a contender looking for a rotational edge with scheme versatility.”
That “speed-to-power” description, combined with his ability to line up in multiple spots, makes Smith a valuable chess piece for any defense. So, ask yourself: what kind of team wouldn’t benefit from a player like that—especially one who’s appeared in 33 games over the past two seasons? Compare that to Davenport, who’s only played in six.
To be fair, there may be more layers to this than we know. Smith’s original contract, crafted by the Browns, was anything but restructure-friendly. His history of resisting pay cuts may have complicated talks further—or maybe, just maybe, he wanted out. We may never know the full backstory.
Still, one thing is becoming harder to ignore: the Lions had a productive, versatile pass rusher on their roster and let him walk without lining up a clear replacement. Whether this move ends up being part of a larger plan or a regrettable misstep, one thing is certain—it’s starting to look more and more like a mistake.