When the Lions traded a 25’ 5th and 26’ 6th for Za’Darius Smith and a 26’ 7th from the Cleveland Browns, I didn’t know what to expect. Would he be the missing piece for a Super Bowl or just a solid veteran player? My personal hope was that he could be a more reliable Marcus Davenport, who has fought the injury bug his whole career. After losing their superstar defensive lineman, the Lions desperately needed help at the position. Nobody is Aidan Hutchinson, but if the Lions are to raise the Lombardi Trophy at seasons end, they clearly needed a shot in the arm after he went down against the Cowboys.

Smith has 2 tackles and a half sack in 2 games with Detroit. While his stats may not be eye-popping, I think his true value can only be seen by watching the games and realizing how much he frees up the other Lions pass rushers.

Smith has been one of the highest graded Lions since he came over from Cleveland. Against the Colts in week 12, he had an 88.8 PFF grade, which was good for the best grade for Detroit and 8th overall among edges. Since he joined the Lions, he has a 22.9% pass rush win rate and 8 pressures.

When I talk about freeing up other pass rushers, Josh Paschal is a perfect example. Smith was acquired before the Houston Texans game, but didn’t play because it was supposed to be his bye week, and his home was damaged by a hurricane. Since that game, Paschal has been much more noticeable on film. His stats have gone up as well. In the last 3 games, he has 8 tackles and 1 sack. In the first 8 games, he only had 5 tackles total. I think Smith’s veteran presence has helped all the young pass rushers grow, but I wouldn’t discount just how much the Kentucky connection has helped Paschal take the next step as a pro.

At the end of the day, Za’Darius Smith has been exactly what we thought, and hoped, he would be. Yes, maybe we would like to see more stats, specifically sacks. But the way he is impacting this team in general can’t go unnoticed. His veteran presence in the locker room and on the field has shown. Za’Darius Smith seems to be the perfect fit for Detroit. Hopefully he can propel them to a Super Bowl victory in February.