Browns trade Za'Darius Smith to Lions

      The Cleveland Browns were expected to be a team that would be active in trading some spare parts before the Tuesday draft deadline and the player who was a sure bet to be moved was moved Tuesday morning as Cleveland sent veteran defensive end Za'Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions.

Cleveland obtained a 2025 fifth round draft choice and a 2026 sixth-rounder in return for Smith and the Browns 2026 seventh rounder. 

The Lions needed a pass rusher after their standout defensive end Aiden Hutchinson suffered a broken leg last month and Smith was the best available rusher via trade for the Lions, who expect to be a title contender in the postseason.

The thirty-two-year-old Smith played in all nine games this season and his five sacks rank him second on the Browns behind Myles Garrett's seven.

Smith played in sixteen games for the Browns last year and finished with five and a half sacks in 2023 for Cleveland.

The Browns add a fifth for the next draft and move a seventh for a sixth in 2026 for a veteran that would have been unlikely to stick around a rebuilding team as an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The fifth could prove helpful in perhaps helping the Browns move up on day three of the draft to grab a player who should have been off the board but slipped a bit on the draft's second day.

The Lions add a proven pass rusher at a time of need as a rental for a reasonable cost, so both teams acquire something they need for a decent return.

Should the Browns make other transactions before the deadline, I'll be back with thoughts on those moves.