Week 10 was initially supposed to be a bye week for Za’Darius Smith. The defensive end has started all nine games for the Cleveland Browns this year, but while all of his teammates have this week off, Smith is now with the Detroit Lions after he was traded for a fifth-round pick and a swap of late picks in 2026.
The Lions have a big “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the Houston Texans this week, but Detroit wanted to do right by Smith. So they gave him Wednesday and Thursday off.
“I thought that was important,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “I mean, he’s been in this league a while and they were actually just going on their bye week when he got the call from us, and everything got done. So, let him do what he needs to do, refresh, get back here Friday.”
So what does that mean for his status to possibly play this week? Campbell wouldn’t say other than “we’ll see where it’s at” on Friday.
But Campbell was far less vague when talking about what Smith will bring to the Lions defense.
“(We) certainly like the player, feel like he fits us, will bring something that we feel like complements the other players in that room,” Campbell said. “He’s going to play the run, he can get an edge still, he finishes on the football, he’s tough, violent player, so we’re excited to have him, he’ll be good for us.”
We haven’t had to a chance to hear from Smith yet, and likely won’t until he arrives at the facility on Friday. That said, Campbell has had a chance to speak with him already, and the 32-year-old defender seems eager to get going.
“He’s fired up, he’s excited to be here, he’s ready to go,” Campbell said. “He said everything that you would want to hear. He’s going to give it everything he’s got, and he want to help us win and whatever we ask him to do, he’ll do.”
