What the Detroit Lions are getting from Za'Darius Smith

The Detroit Lions' pass rush had stalled since losing Aidan Hutchinson to a season-ending leg injury in Week 6.

Since Hutchinson's ouster, the Lions' defensive line hasn't recorded a sack. In fact, the entire defense has recorded just two sacks in the three games without the Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

As such, the Lions are hoping that newly acquired defensive end Za'Darius Smith will bring a boost of energy and production to a talented but underperforming defensive line group.

Smith has five sacks in nine games with the Cleveland Browns, who fell to 2-7 on the year with a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The 32-year-old's nine-game stats will rank among the best on the Lions' roster, even though Detroit played one fewer game than Cleveland due to the Week 5 bye. Smith's five sacks rank first among active Lions, while his 27 pressures rank him tied with Alim McNeill for first.

He will step in as a starter once he is ready to play in the Lions system. It's likely he will face Josh Paschal if he returns from his illness, or James Houston and Al-Quadin Muhammad if Paschal has not recovered in Week 10.

Smith's ability to rush off the edge pairs well with Paschal's ability to set the edge in the run game. Below is an example of Smith's tenacity as he overpowers the Dallas Cowboys right tackle for a sack in Week 1.

In terms of alignment, Smith has played outside the opposing tackle on most of his snaps this season. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 282 of his 319 snaps in that alignment, with 28 snaps lined up above the tackle and nine snaps in the B gap.

As for PFF's ratings, Smith has an overall defense grade of 73.6, a run defense grade of 65.9, a pass rush grade of 39.3 and a pass rush grade of 71.1. Smith's overall defensive grade would rank sixth on the Lions, as the Lions currently have three defensemen with a grade of 90.0 or higher in Hutchinson, as well as safeties Kerby Joseph (90.7) and Brian Branch (90.0).

Smith also fits from a leadership perspective. With Detroit placing a high value on culture, it was clear that the Lions had to view him as a cultural fit in order to complete this deal.

As rumors of a possible move began to swirl on Sunday, several of Smith's Cleveland teammates commented on what the veteran means to the team.

“I mean, Z is my brother, man,” Browns safety Juan Thornhill told reporters after the game. “It means a lot. Everyone will feel it when they leave here. It will hurt. It means a lot. He's coming back there. He brings a lot of energy. He is one of the leaders of our defense, but I wish it will be hard for him to lose a guy like that.

Detroit's new signing will get the opportunity to play against two of his former teams, as he previously played for the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. The Lions play the Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 on December 5, along with a season finale showdown against the Vikings at a date to be determined.

The ability to play against former teams was a factor that initially led Smith to say he would welcome a move to the Lions, as he played three seasons for the Packers and one for the Vikings. He was traded from the Vikings to the Browns in exchange for two fifth-round picks before the 2023 season.

Smith is clearly an evolution of the Lions' pass rush and has a chance to make a difference in what will hopefully be the team's championship season.