With Aidan Hutchinson sidelined by a broken leg, the Lions lost their top pass rusher. The Browns, currently 1-5, have 32-year-old edge rusher Za’Darius Smith and recently traded Pro Bowl receiver Amari Cooper to the Bills.
While the national media has speculated about Smith as a trade target for the Lions, he hadn’t seen his name mentioned or considered it himself.
“I didn’t even know about it,” said Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, on Thursday.
Smith’s priority remains helping the Browns end a four-game skid this Sunday against the Bengals.
“For sure, for sure, for sure,” he said. “I’m staying positive, hoping for a win this week to get back on track.”
The thought of joining the Lions, a 4-1 team that reached the NFC Championship last year, does intrigue him.
“Hate that injury for him; he was on his way to a great year, maybe even Defensive Player of the Year,” he said about Hutchinson. “It’s a big loss for them.
“But if I went to Detroit, I’d like it because I’d face Green Bay and the Vikings twice a year. That’d be big.”
Smith, traded to the Browns by the Vikings in 2023, previously played for the Packers and welcomes a chance for a revenge tour in the NFC North.
Smith signed a two-year, $23 million contract with $12 million guaranteed in March to stay with Cleveland. But if the Browns continue losing, he could become a player they consider trading for a draft pick before the Nov. 5 deadline.
“You know what, that’s not my call. That’s all up to the front office,” he said. “You’d have to ask them about that.”
With three sacks this season and 63 in his career, including three double-digit years, Smith emphasized his commitment to the Browns but did consider the Lions.
“I’m staying positive, but now that you mention it, it could be a good fit for me,” he said.
