Za’Darius Smith, a former edge rusher for the Lions, was recently seen in Detroit, raising speculation about a possible return to the team.
Before free agency began, the Lions opted to part ways with Smith. The reasoning behind this decision was largely financial — by moving on from him, Detroit could avoid the burden of a costly void year in 2026. Keeping him on the roster would have inflated his contract from just over $5 million to $11 million.
During the NFL’s Annual League Meetings, general manager Brad Holmes addressed the situation. He described the departure as mutual and emphasized that the team’s financial limitations played a major role. “It was a mutual understanding. We simply couldn’t make the numbers work,” Holmes said. “We would’ve liked to keep him, but the finances didn’t line up. We’ve stayed in communication with his agent, and he’s aware of the situation.”
Now, rumors are picking up again after Smith was spotted in Detroit on Friday night, attending a Pistons game against the Bucks.
Those who’ve been following his Instagram recently (guilty!) will know he’s mostly been working out in Florida. However, his appearance at the game is intriguing.
As MLive’s Kory Woods pointed out, Smith attended the game with his girlfriend, Kash Doll, a Detroit native. Of course, this could simply be a personal visit — nothing more than catching a game together. Still, given the timing and circumstances, it’s natural to wonder if there might be more to the story, especially since the game itself wasn’t particularly significant.
