The trade deadline loomed large immediately after the season-ending injury to Aidan Hutchinson back in Week 6. It was hard to imagine the way the Detroit Lions would pick up the pieces on defense and put together a pass rush without their biggest piece of the puzzle. After all, Hutchinson was arguably playing like the best edge defender in football through the first quarter of the season.
Fans, nonetheless, dreamed big with hopes for names like Myles Garrett or Maxx Crosby to fill the massive void, but of the more realistic options available to help revitalize the Lions' edge defense, Za’Darius Smith stood out as the obvious candidate.