The Detroit Lions are facing a significant decision regarding veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who was acquired midseason from the Cleveland Browns. While Smith’s addition provided some much-needed depth to the Lions’ defensive line following Aidan Hutchinson’s injury, his efforts weren’t enough to push Detroit past the Washington Commanders in the playoffs. As the 2025 offseason begins, it seems likely that Smith will be cut to help the Lions manage their salary cap.
Complicated Contract Situation for Za’Darius Smith
Smith’s contract is proving to be a key factor in the Lions’ decision to part ways with him. His deal, with a cap hit of $5,727,500 million for 2025 (As shown by Over The Cap), is complicated by provisions from the Browns’ original contract. If the Lions cut Smith before March 15, they can save $5,727,500 million in cap space with no dead cap hit. However, if Smith remains on the roster past this date, his $2 million signing bonus from the Browns would come into play, creating dead cap for the Lions.
Additionally, Smith has four years of prorated option bonuses (three of which are void years), totaling $1,747,500 million per year. If the Lions keep him through the start of the regular season, they would incur the full $6,990,000 million option bonus, further complicating the decision.
The Likelihood of a Move
Given the lack of incentive to keep Smith under his current contract, the Lions are expected to release him. The only potential way Smith remains in Detroit is through a contract restructure or a cut and re-signing at a lower cost.
With several important roster decisions to make, the Lions are unlikely to keep Smith on his current deal. It seems clear that, unless a significant restructure occurs, Smith’s tenure in Detroit will be short-lived. That said, he has already come out and said that he hopes to be a Lion moving forward, so he may be open to restructuring his contract to say in Detroit.
