Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith has been heavily involved in trade rumors and his absence at practice on Wednesday sparked speculation that he could be on the move.
The Browns did not initially list Smith on the pre-practice injury report, which included guard Joel Bitonio (foot), linebacker Jordan Hicks (elbow, triceps), linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck) and cornerback Denzel Ward (concussion).
The team confirmed later that Smith missed practice due to illness, but it didn’t stop the speculation that a trade could be coming down the pipe involving the 32-year-old pass-rusher.
“Why was he not listed on the pre-practice injury report? It’s sus a bit no?” one fan said.
Another added, “He’s busy getting trained to bite kneecaps,” referring to the Detroit Lions, one of the teams linked to Smith.
Others said it more bluntly.
“That’s a weird way to say he’s a Lion,” another added.
Lions Sparked Za’Darius Smith Trade Speculation
The Lions appear to be firmly in the mix for Smith. Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked on Monday if anything could be “imminent” regarding a trade. He responded simply, “It could be.”
The Lions skipper reiterated the same statement again and looked excited about a potential deal.
Smith has been one of the primary names linked to the Lions in recent weeks following a season-ending injury to Pro Bowl pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson. ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided an update on some of the big trade targets during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday.
“In my mind Diontae Johnson and Za’Darius Smith are gonna be traded before the deadline,” Schefter said. “The Rams are only a game out in the NFC West and I don’t expect them to move Cooper Kupp.”
Smith has bolstered his trade value with his strong play this season. He leads the Browns with five sacks — ahead of reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.
The Browns traded for Smith ahead of last season. In the deal, the Browns got Smith, a 2025 sixth-round pick and a 2025 seventh-round pick from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for two fifth-round picks. Smith had five sacks last season — a number he’s almost eclipsed already through eight games. He signed a two-year, $23.5 million deal this offseason to remain in Cleveland.
Browns Looking to Ride Momentum After Beating Ravens
The Browns are coming off their best performance of the season — a 29-24 victory against the Baltimore Ravens. It has sparked hope that the Browns can remain in the mix for a postseason spot, which may lead to the Browns pumping the brakes on trade talks.
“A lot of people don’t understand that we’re actually in a better situation than a lot of people. They just don’t get it. They look at our record, they’re like, the guys have only won two games,” Browns safety Juan Thornhill said. “But if you really take a step back and push that aside and you notice that all of our losses have really came from NFC opponents. I don’t want to say that they didn’t mean anything, but they weren’t as important as these next few games that we have coming up. We have, I guess (eight) AFC games coming up and if we win these games, perfect opportunity to put us in a great situation in making this playoff run.”
The NFL trade deadline is on November 5, so the Browns will have to make any decisions on their direction before then.
