The Detroit Lions making a move to acquire veteran defensive end Za'Darius Smith in the middle of last season was applauded as the team felt like it was on a trajectory for greatness.
The Lions traded a 5th-round pick in 2025 and 6th-round pick in 2026 to acquire Smith and a 2026 7th-round pick in November following the season-ending injury to Aidan Hutchinson. Smith had big shoes to fill but ultimately came up short as the rest of the defense's injuries were too much to overcome in the postseason.
The Lions cut him on March 9 with a year left on his contract despite the team's continued need for pass rushers.