Discussion: What would a Za’Darius Smith contract with the Lions look like?

This week, free agent pass rusher Za’Darius Smith made it clear he would love to play for the Detroit Lions again in 2025.

“We both know where I want to be,” Smith told USA TODAY. “Hopefully I can get back to Detroit because the coaching staff and everybody in the front office are great. When I’m there I feel like a leader and like I can influence the young guys and do great things. Hopefully I can get back to where I want to be in Detroit.”

We also know that the Detroit Lions are open to Smith returning, despite the fact that the released him back in March. General manager Brad Holmes spoke openly about the move at the spring owners meetings, admitting this was purely a financial move—saving the team $11 million over two years.

“We just weren’t in a position to keep him at his salary,” Holmes said. “Because look, he played some good snaps for us and he made plays for us when we acquired him, so we would have loved to (have) been able to keep him. We just weren’t able to.”

The question now is whether the two sides can come up with contract terms that will make Smith happy and fit into Detroit’s tight budget? So today’s Question of the Day is:

What should a Za’Darius Smith contract with the Lions look like?

My answer: The first discussion should be the length, but that’s likely a short discussion. Smith will be 33 in the first month of the season, so any contract beyond a single year is probably out of the question. A one-year deal seems inevitable for Smith.

But how much are the Lions willing to pay for Smith?

Smith’s original contract with Detroit was set to have a $5.7 million cap hit in 2025 with an additional $5.2 hitting in 2026 as dead cap. It’s clear $11 million—even if it’s split over two years—is too expensive for the Lions.

However, Smith is going to want something reasonable compared to what he produces on the field. Last year, he produced 9.0 sacks after having 5.5 in 2023 and 10.0 in 2022. So let’s just say he’s good for somewhere in the 6-8 sack range next year at age 33. What are some salary comparisons for players with that production at that age?

• Leonard Floyd — will be 33 — 8.5 sacks last year — 1 year, $10 million
• Von Miller — 36 years old — 6.0 sacks — unsigned
• Khalil Mack — 34 years old — 6.0 sacks — 1 year, $18 million
• Harold Landry — 29 years old — 9.0 sacks — 3 years, $43.5 million ($14.5 million a year)

This is why a deal likely hasn’t been done yet. While Smith doesn’t exactly have the long-term reputation as the players above, his production matches theirs at this point in their respective careers, and they’re all making eight figures a season. The Lions aren’t likely to accept at $10 million/year deal if $11 million was too much for them.

But there is hope when you look at a contract like that of Cameron Jordan. The soon-to-be 36-year-old is entering his 15th NFL season, and he accepted a revised contract that amounts to a one-year, $6.05 million contract with up to $4 million in incentives ($2 million based on sack totals, $2 million based on playing time).

This would be an ideal contract for the Lions, as it’s a relatively small cap hit for 2025, but gives Smith plenty of opportunity to get paid like some others at his position. However, it may be a tough sell for Smith, as his production lately has been much higher than Jordan, who has just 14.5 sacks in the last three years combined.

Another complication is what Smith’s role would be in the Lions defense. Marcus Davenport is more likely to be a three-down player, as he is a strong edge setter on early downs while Smith may be best used as a situational pass rusher at this point in his career. It would certainly be strange optics to pay Davenport $1.75 million for a year compared to $6 million for Smith. Maybe it’s still worth it for the insurance likely needed for oft-injured Davenport, but it’s hard to ignore that kind of cost discrepancy and the weird dynamic it could cause.

Regardless, if the Lions are going to sign Smith, I do think it’ll have to come in that $5-7 million range with a good amount of incentives. Will the Lions offer that? Will Smith accept it? We shall see.

How much would you be willing to pay for Za’Darius Smith? What do you think he’d accept? Scroll down to the comment section and let us know.