The Detroit Lions‘ will-they-won’t-they relationship with edge rusher Za’Darius Smith came to a swift end on Friday.
Smith, who was cut by the Lions in a cap-savings move this March, signed with the reigning NFC and Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, according to the NFL’s transaction wire. Smith also posted a photo of himself on Instagram, where he appears to be inking his new deal with the Eagles.
The move not only prevents Detroit from bringing him back for edge depth — Lions general manager Brad Holmes said the two have remained in contact since his release — it also strengthens a fellow contender.
Philadelphia lost significant firepower along the defensive line this past offseason, but has now taken a step to remedy what was a lackluster showing in Thursday night’s opener by grabbing the most productive pass rusher on the market.
Smith, 33, was acquired for a sixth-round pick from the Cleveland Browns at last year’s deadline. He totaled 36 pressures and four sacks over eight games, helping the Lions maintain some semblance of a pass rush while the rest of the defense fell to pieces.
The Lions currently have a healthy Marcus Davenport and Aidan Hutchinson at the top of the depth chart, but behind them, the roster is extremely thin in terms of proven talent. Detroit only rosters four pure edge rushers total, excluding Josh Paschal, who’s on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list with an undisclosed ailment. Tyrus Wheat, a recent waiver claim, and Al-Quadin Muhammad, who was serviceable after signing with Detroit midseason last year, round out the team’s current edge depth.
Originally Published: September 5, 2025 at 6:00 PM EDT