The Detroit Lions are keeping fans on their toes with the possibility of reuniting with defensive end Za’Darius Smith. General manager Brad Holmes dropped an interesting nugget at the NFL’s Annual League Meetings, hinting that the door isn’t entirely closed on Smith rejoining the team.
Smith, who made a mark after being acquired at last year’s trade deadline, played eight regular-season games for the Lions, delivering four key sacks. But the financial squeeze meant Smith was released before free agency kicked off.
Here’s where it gets intriguing: Holmes mentioned that despite Smith being released, the team has kept lines of communication open with his agent. The conversation among fans got a little louder when Smith was spotted at a Detroit Pistons game, sparking hope of a potential comeback.
However, Holmes has clarified that there haven’t been any new talks with Smith’s camp since those league meetings. The play now seems to be waiting for an update from Smith’s agent if circumstances change.
Holmes told reporters, “No, we haven’t had any discussions since then. We kind of left it at his agent would let us know if something was going on or if things had changed or we had any updates.”
Reflecting on Smith’s impact, during his stint with Detroit, he earned a solid 66.1 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus across nine appearances, which includes a playoff game. Notably, Smith applied pressure 40 times, with a standout performance against the Bears on Thanksgiving. The Lions may not be in conversation right now, but Smith’s previous contributions certainly make a case for keeping tabs on any future developments.
