The Detroit Lions have made a huge acquisition ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline. The Lions are acquiring edge rusher Za’Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh round pick from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2025 fifth round pick and a 2026 sixth round pick.
The Lions have been looking to find pass rush depth since Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury, and Smith will give them an instant pass rush boost. Smith has five sacks on the season after only 5.5 sacks all of last season. Over his season and a half with the Browns, he has 27 QB hits and Pro Football Focus has credited him with 87 pressures across 25 games. He had 78 pressures the season prior in Minnesota.
Za’Darius Smith trade salary cap implications
Smith was owed $1.21 million in 2024 and the Lions will pay his prorated salary for the rest of the season, which is $605,000. He is signed through 2025 with $1.5 million in base salary next season and $2.51 million in roster bonus money. The deal includes three additional years, but those were all voided to help the Browns with cap compliance. He is due no guaranteed salary in 2025, which means if the Lions decided to cut him after the season, it would not cost them any dead money in 2025.
The Browns will save the remaining $605,000 against the salary cap and carry $4.025 million in dead money this season and $14,233,000 in dead money in 2025.
