The Detroit Lions made a move last season by picking up Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns at the trade deadline to help with their pass rush, which had been struggling with injuries. He played in their last eight games, racking up 12 tackles, three tackles for loss (TFLs), 36 pressures, 10 QB hits, and 4 sacks. Overall, Smith ended the season with 35 tackles, nine TFLs, 63 pressures, 17 QB hits, and 9 sacks across 17 games.

However, the Lions had to let go of Smith in early March when his contract became too expensive, with a cap hit of almost $6 million. They couldn’t come to an agreement, so Smith was released just before his roster bonus was due.

Even though he’s no longer on the team, Lions’ GM Brad Holmes recently said they’ve kept in touch with Smith’s agents, and a reunion could be in the cards. Holmes mentioned that while they would’ve liked to keep him, they just couldn’t make it work, but they’re still talking about a possible return. “We’ve been keeping in touch with his agent,” Holmes said, “and we’ll see how it goes.”

The Lions’ pass rush depth chart includes some other big names like Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, but they may still be looking to add Smith back into the mix if things line up right.