The Cleveland Browns traded Za'Darius Smith, who was due a cap number of $5.7 million in 2025. However, due to the void year the Browns used to space out his cap hit, they do have to eat all of his bonuses in the contract,

Smith joins a Detroit team in need of an edge rusher. The NFC-leading Lions (7-1) have been hunting for one since losing Aidan Hutchinson to tibia and fibula fractures on Oct. 13 that will sideline him for the rest of the regular season.

After weeks and weeks of speculation, the Cleveland Browns finally decided to make a trade a month in the making: Za'Darius Smith was shipped to the Detroit Lions with a 2026 seventh-round draft pick for the surprisingly reasonable price of a 2025 fifth-round and a 2026 sixth-round draft picks.

The long-standing rumors proved correct in this case. The Cleveland Browns have traded EDGE Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions hours ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline. Cleveland sends Za’Darius Smith and a 2026 7th-round pick to the Lions in exchange for a 5th-round pick in 2025 and a 6th-round pick in 2026.

A person familiar with the trade tells The Associated Press the Cleveland Browns are trading defensive end Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions, who were looking for an edge rusher following star Aidan Hutchinson's leg injury.

The Detroit Lions are acquiring Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns in a huge move at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, per multiple reports. The Browns traded Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Lions in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.

The Lions are doing what they can to fill that Aidan Hutchinson-sized hole in their defense for their Super Bowl push.

A person familiar with the trade tells The Associated Press the Cleveland Browns are trading defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions, who were looking for an edge rusher following star Aidan Hutchinson’s leg injury.