There is still one action that the Lions should take prior to the NFL Draft.

There is still one action that the Lions should take prior to the NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions were left with a significant need to cover on the edge when they released Za’Darius Smith just before the start of free agency.

The Lions have yet to address this requirement, even after more than two months. Smith has also failed to establish a new team during that period. It is a situation that appears to have a straightforward solution. Smith should be signed by the Lions prior to the NFL Draft scheduled for next week.

Marcus Davenport is not the proper edge player for a team that aspires to compete for a Super Bowl, despite any confidence they may have in him. He has only appeared in six games over the past two seasons and only had half of a sack in 15 games the previous year. He is not the individual in question. Smith was a reliable player for the Lions in the eight contests following his acquisition.

In those eight games, he recorded four sacks. He was the sole Lions player to accumulate four sacks last season, with Aidan Hutchinson being the sole exception.Smith ranked 10th among edge rushers for the year with 63 pressures, as reported by Pro Football Focus. He is evidently capable of serving as the pass rush companion that Hutchinson requires for the 2025 season.

The team’s general manager, Brad Holmes, expressed optimism to fans during the owners meeting by stating that the team was still in contact with Smith’s agent, which could potentially lead to his return. He stated that there has been no communication since then this week. Nevertheless, he also stated an additional point that underscores the sanity of Smith’s decision to return.