It's time for the Detroit Lions to make a move.
Fans have spent the offseason waiting for the team to add another edge rusher who can start alongside Aidan Hutchinson.
Despite the fact that there has been an obvious answer out there, the Lions have still yet to do anything.
Now that has to change. Levi Onwuzurike's injury has left them without any other choice.
The Lions need to sign Za'Darius Smith.
On Friday it was reveled that Onwuzurike had been put on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, which meant he would miss at least the first four games of the regular season.
On Sunday we learned the full extent of the injury. Onwuzurike would be missing the whole season because of a torn ACL.
That is a huge blow to the Lions' pass rush.
According to Pro Football Focus, Onwuzurike finished 15th among interior defensive linemen last season with 45 total pressures.
The only other defensive tackle on the roster who had that kind of impact on the pass rush last season is Alim McNeill, who had 45 pressures of his own in 14 games. He is currently working his way back from an injury of his own and isn't expected to be ready for the start of the season.
That leaves the Lions with D.J. Reader, Tyleik Williams, and Roy Lopez. Reader had 20 pressures last season. Lopez had 18. Williams has yet to take an NFL snap, but more impactful against the run than the pass in college.
Even when McNeill is back at 100%, that's not going to be enough for the Lions to get away with their frugal approach on the edge.
Before Onwuzurike's injury, the Lions might have been able to get away with Marcus Davenport on the edge if Onwuzurike and McNeill were able to generate consistent pressure up the middle.
Now the Lions need to go out and get another edge rusher to contribute to the pass rush and the answer to who it should be is obvious.
Smith has made it clear that he wants to return to the Lions. He was also a solid piece for them last season.
He had four sacks in his eight games as a Lion. Over the course of the whole season, he had nine sacks and 63 total pressures.
He is the best option still available and I'm not sure that the Lions can afford any less than that with uncertainty elsewhere on the roster and a pass rush that just got weaker.
We should have a pretty good idea of what he would cost based on Von Miller's recent signing. Miller signed a deal with the Washington Commanders that is worth $6.1 million nd can get up to $10.5 million with incentives.
A deal for Smith should be in that same neighborhood, which would be perfectly reasonable for a player who very productive last season, especially with the Lions' other options coming off the board.
The Lions keep talking about a Super Bowl and wanting to finish what they've started.
If that's really what they're aspiring to, then this is a move they need to make this offseason.
