Story by
Lions' Za'Darius Smith might not be ready vs. Texans, but defense pumped to have him
- Story by
- Lions' Za'Darius Smith might not be ready vs. Texans, but defense pumped to have him
The Detroit Lions are not sure if new addition Za'Darius Smith will be available for Sunday Night Football against the Houston Texans .
On Wednesday, head coach Dan Campbell said they are going to give Smith off until Friday to give him time to acclimate and enjoy some rest on what would've been his bye week before Tuesday's trade. On Thursday, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn said they will decide on his status after he arrives to the team building on Friday.
Advertisement
"(I'm) really happy to get Za'Darius," Glenn said. "Obviously, he is not with us at this moment. He'll be back with us on Friday and we'll see exactly where he's at. I can't confirm whether he's going to play or not. That'll be up to Coach Campbell and (Smith) to see exactly where he's at but I am excited having that player."
On Wednesday, Campbell said, "We gave him a couple of days off, so he'll be back Friday and then we'll see where it's at there."
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith in the tunnel before a game vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, Oct. 13, 2024 in Philadelphia.
The Lions got a deal done just hours before Tuesday's trade deadline to bring in Smith, 32, as a veteran option to help replace the litany of injuries on the edge of Detroit 's defensive line. The Lions have lost Aidan Hutchinson (leg), Marcus Davenport (pectoral), Derrick Barnes (knee), John Cominsky (knee) and even Josh Paschal (illness) for the last two weeks, dealing a blow to Detroit's pass rush that started the season strong.
Advertisement
The Lions had just five sacks in the last three games and had to rely on moving interior players out wide and bringing extra players on the blitz. The reserves and practice squad call-ups on the edge could not consistently bring pressure, forcing the Lions to shop around and eventually bring in Smith for the cost of two Day 3 draft picks.
"I'm not going to compare any player to Hutch," Glenn said. "It's hard to compare anybody to Hutch but (Smith) has his own traits and skillsets we are going to take advantage of. And the more I get to know the player and the more we get a chance to watch him, we are going to try to put him in a position to be successful."
Glenn said the Lions can pivot a bit back to the start-of-season game plan with Smith, adding another power rusher able to crush the pocket in toward a quarterback from both the edge and lining up over the guard on the inside. The Lions knew Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler with five sacks with Cleveland this season, could fit the heavy-handed pass-rushing style they like to lean on.
MONARREZ: Za'Darius Smith may not be elite, but he might be key to a Detroit Lions' Super Bowl run
Advertisement
"The first thing everybody sees with this player is the edge presence that he has," Glenn said. "He's tough, he's been doing it for a long time, he's tough in the running game, he can set the edge which we really look forward to seeing him to, but then he has a knack for really going inside and being able to capture an edge on third down against guards.
"So listen, Hutch can do that but you see "Z" and the body type he has, he's really good at doing that. And then you actually see it on tape and him being able to make plays in that situation."
Smith's reputation preceded him in the Lions locker room and the team was happy the front office matched the all-in mindset they are playing with this season.
"Yeah, you know, everybody just knows we're committed to the mission," veteran D.J. Reader told reporters Wednesday. "And we got a goal we want to get achieved. And it's good to bring guys around to help achieve that goal."
Detroit Lions DJ Reader (98) warms up before the NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field in Detroit on Oct. 27, 2024.
The Lions have continued to try to play in a power-first pass-rushing style, but it hasn't been as effective without the main starters. With Smith now available and Paschal returning, Glenn is hopeful they can affect the pocket more consistently.
Advertisement
"That's a strong point for both of those guys," Glenn said of their power. "But again, I don't just see Za'Darius always on the edge. We are going to use him in a number of different spots, somewhat similar to how Cleveland used him because I thought he was pretty successful in that system. ... But his ultimate spot will be on the edge. He is a big man (6 feet 4, 270 pounds), he is a strong man and he does have long arms."
Despite being without Hutchinson and Davenport for the last month, the Lions have found a way to keep shutting teams down. The Lions are tied for fifth in the NFL by holding teams to an average of 18.5 points and are third in takeaways (16) despite only having five sacks in the last three games, including two divisional road wins.
"How about that defense?" offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said with a smile to begin his Thursday press conference. "They are rolling right now."
JAMO'S BACK: Jameson Williams returns to Detroit Lions practice: 'I've always been the same person.'
Advertisement
The Lions have had to move players around both on the line of scrimmage and in the secondary to navigate the injuries and other things that pop up, like Brian Branch 's first-half ejection against the Packers , and have not batted an eye as they've figured out a way to meet the circumstances.
Glenn said one of his favorite parts of the job this season has been trying to find ways to still have an effective defense despite the rash of injuries up front and the on-the-fly answers to fill in gaps that open during games.
"It's always fun to be able to have different coverages, being able to have different structures as far as front structures and to attack people. And I say this all the time, I'm always looking at the tape saying, 'how can I attack?', that's what makes structure. And the coaching staff does a really good job helping me understand what I'm trying to create and going and teaching the players what I'm trying to create."
Even if Smith isn't ready by primetime on Sunday night to make his debut in the Honolulu Blue, Glenn is confident in his group facing off against another good quarterback and feels good about the reinforcements long-term.
Advertisement
"I do feel like there's a confidence with our players, that each week we feel like we can go out we are going to give ourselves a chance to win," Glenn said.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press . Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Za'Darius Smith might not be ready for Detroit Lions vs. Texans
