The Detroit Lions need to bolster their pass rush before the 2025 campaign, and a reunion with Za’Darius Smith makes perfect sense.
Smith was released by the Lions in March, but is still a free agent and bringing him back would be a logical move, as he is still a capable pass rusher who has experience playing in Detroit’s defense and should be cheap to sign. The Lions also have Smith’s nephew, rookie receiver Jackson Meeks, on the roster.
Though a return to the Lions is on the table for Smith, A to Z Sports’ Destin Adams believes the Indianapolis Colts should also try to sign the veteran edge rusher.
“First up would be a bit of luxury signing, but I think it would elevate their defense. The Colts seem deep at edge rusher, but they definitely kicked the tires on a trade for Trey Hendrickson, so I don’t think signing Smith would be out of the question,” Adams wrote.
The Colts could use another rotational pass rusher, and Smith would play that role well. The 32-year-old tallied nine sacks and 66 quarterback pressures in 17 games in 2024, and was a key piece to Detroit’s defense after being traded there from the Cleveland Browns during the deadline.
Indianapolis still has $20 million in cap space to utilize, which is plenty of money to sign Smith and upgrade the pass rush ahead of the season. If the Colts want any chance of being a playoff team in 2025, they’re defense must be elite, as the quarterback situation is incredibly uncertain due to the health of Anthony Richardson.
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