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    • What the Za'Darius Smith trade means for the Lions' cap situation, 2025 draft capital
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    What the Za'Darius Smith trade means for the Lions' cap situation, 2025 draft capital

    Kathleen William Posted on

    The Lions added one of the market's top edge rushers just before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

    Detroit traded a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for edge rusher Za'Darius Smith and a 2026 seventh-round pick.

    Multiple NFL insiders reported Monday that the Browns were hoping to get a fourth-round pick in this trade, but Lions general manager Brad Holmes apparently remained patient and acquired Smith for a fifth-rounder in 2025 and a late pick swap round the following year.

    Effects on the salary cap

    According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Browns have already paid Smith $11.3 million, meaning Detroit is only increasing its 2024 salary cap by $605,000.

    That leaves Detroit with just over $27 million in cap space to carry over into next season – a huge development for a team looking to release another round of additions to its core pieces.

    Smith is under contract through 2026 and, according to Spotrac, he will have a cap hit of $5.4 million next season. That's a small price to pay if Smith can be the edge rusher he has shown to be over the last few seasons. And if not? The Lions are out after this year. Detroit can cut Smith before next season without absorbing a dead cap.

    Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, safety Kerby Joseph and wide receiver Jameson Williams are among the notable players from Detroit's 2022 draft class who could receive an extension in the 2025 offseason. Linebacker Derrick Barnes and defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike are two members of the 2021 draft class who are in the final year of their rookie contracts.

    Lions 2025 draft picks

    Entering Tuesday, the Lions had already lost a third-round pick (which was traded to the New York Jets in the previous draft in exchange for offensive lineman Giovanni Manu). This is what the cabinet looks like after the Smith trade:

    ▶ First round pick (currently No. 31)

    ▶ Second round pick (No. 63)

    ▶ Third-round pick (No. 95)Traded to Jets for Manu

    ▶ Fourth round pick (No. 132)

    ▶ Fifth round pick (No. 167)was traded to the Browns for Smith

    ▶ Sixth-round pick (No. 189), acquired in the Carlton Davis III trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    ▶ Seventh-round pick (No. 226), acquired in the trade of Terrion Arnold to the Dallas Cowboys

    ▶ Seventh round pick (No. 246)

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    Kathleen William
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