The Detroit Lions entered the 2025 offseason with a need along the edge, and that need became much more dire after the team parted ways with Za'Darius Smith.
Smith was fairly productive for the Lions after being acquired from the Cleveland Browns at the NFL trade deadline last year, but clearly Detroit wasn't keen on paying the salary Smith was going to get, which was around $11 million.
With a huge void opposite Aidan Hutchinson that must be filled, Pride of Detroit's Jeremy Reisman suggests former Buffalo Bills edge rusher Von Miller as a possible solution for Detroit.
"In Detroit, Miller would likely be a situational pass rusher. Soon to be 36 years old, Miller has played over 500 defensive snaps in a season just once since 2019. And at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, he’s not exactly the three-down edge setter Detroit looks for in a starter," Reisman wrote. "But Miller can still effectively rush the passer. Per PFF, Miller was t-seventh in both his 18.4 pass rush win percentage and 9.6 pass rush productivity stats. Despite a limited role and 13 games played, Miller still produced 6.0 sacks and 32 pressures last season."
At this point, the Lions can't be too picky when it comes to adding a starting-caliber edge rusher. If this team wants to get over the hump, it needs to have someone who can make an impact across from Hutchinson.
Miller isn't the elite player he once was, but he'd be better than anyone not named Aidan Hutchinson on the Lions' current roster.
There's no question that the Lions need a long-term solution, but Miller would be a great bridge option while Detroit figures things out. The Lions can draft an edge rusher and have him serve as depth behind Miller and Hutchinson in Year 1, checking the depth box the Lions need to address, also.
When it comes to compensation, we'd expect Miller to garner a deal in the range of Joey Bosa, who signed with the Buffalo Bills on a one-year, $12.6 million deal.
It remains to be seen if general manager Brad Holmes wants to pay that much after cutting Smith, who was set to make a similar amount, but the Lions have enough cap space ($49.5 million) to fit in that price on a one-year pact.
