The Detroit Lions secured a highly sought-after player at the NFL trade deadline.
Following a period of speculation, the Lions acquired Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith, along with a 2026 seventh-round pick, in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.
General manager Brad Holmes aimed to address the team’s key defensive weakness with this experienced addition, now positioning the Lions as one of the NFL’s most well-rounded rosters.
“They were Super Bowl contenders even before the trade,” said co-host Christian Booher. “Now that they’ve addressed their biggest weakness, it’s hard not to see them as Super Bowl favorites. The roster is built in a way that requires teams to score 30 just to keep up with the Lions.”
With the trade enhancing Detroit’s defense and the offense performing near the top of the league, the Lions’ complete roster now makes a compelling case as one of the league’s best.
“Teams will have to score big to beat the Lions. When Detroit avoids self-inflicted mistakes, which we saw against Tampa Bay in their Week 2 loss, they’ll be very hard to defeat,” Booher continued. “The team’s unified focus and absence of drama in Allen Park set a strong example for other contenders.”
The latest ‘Lone Wolves’ episode explores the impact of the Za’Darius Smith trade, analyzes the Lions’ win over Green Bay, Brian Branch’s ejection, and previews Detroit’s upcoming Week 10 matchup with the Houston Texans.
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