A reunion between Za’Darius Smith and the Detroit Lions seems logical, as Detroit desperately needs pass-rushing help to take some pressure off Aidan Hutchinson, and Smith has already stated that he is interested in returning to the Motor City.
Detroit still has $48 million in cap space, so they have the money to sign Smith, whose asking price in a contract with the Lions may have just been revealed.
Von Miller recently signed with the Washington Commanders, and the details of the eight-time Pro Bowl edge rusher’s deal were revealed on Saturday.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Miller’s contract with the Commanders is for one year with a base value of $6.1 million, which can reach $10.5 million with incentives. The guarantees of the deal aren’t known yet.
“New Commanders edge Von Miller is signing a 1-year, $6.1M deal with a chance to make $10.5M in incentives, sources say,” Rapoport wrote.
Smith had a more productive 2024 campaign than Miller and is also nearly four years younger, so the three-time Pro Bowler will likely demand a deal worth as much or maybe even more than what Miller just got from Washington.
The Lions should be willing to pay Smith his desired contract, as they have the cap room and must bolster the edge rusher room sooner rather than later.
Obviously, Smith, who tallied nine sacks last year before being released by the Lions in March, could sign somewhere other than Detroit. However, his desired contract with his next team could be worth more than expected due to Miller joining the Commanders on a one-year deal that can be worth up to $10.5 million.
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