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For the first time since he was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Browns before the NFL trade deadline, Detroit Lions new edge rusher Za'Darius Smith will be making his debut with the team on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Smith sat out last week, despite the fact that he wanted to play. Head coach Dan Campbell wanted to do right by the 32-year-old and gave him the week off after Smith wasn't able to enjoy a bye with the Browns. Smith appreciated the gesture.
"Man, very excited," Smith said of his impending Lions debut. "I was just talking to coach, I can't wait. I hate that he gave me this week off. Obviously, I didn't want it. That's something that they wanted for their players, and that's what I love about this football team, because they care about their players."
The time has come for Smith to make his debut this week against the Jaguars, and he showed up to Ford Field on Sunday wearing the jersey of Detroit Pistons great Rasheed Wallace.
— NFL (@NFL) November 17, 2024Five sacks confirmed.
One can't help but notice the resemblance between Wallace and Smith, so that just makes it more perfect.
Smith is officially active for the Lions, which was expected after head coach Dan Campbell confirmed he would play earlier in the week. However, Campbell also stated Smith could have a limited workload.
"Yeah, we'll work him in, we'll make sure that we use him appropriately," Campbell told reporters on Friday. "Look, he's going to play on all downs, but we're going to maximize what he's got in the tank to help us. I guess, if you – pitch count, yes, somewhere in there we'll get him some."
The addition of Smith, who was the best edge rusher available ahead of the deadline, was the Lions' answer for losing star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Smith has tallied double-digit sacks three times during his career. After a down season in 2023 with 5.5 sacks, Smith is just a half of a sack shy of what he did last season entering Week 11.
The Lions and Jaguars will kick off from Ford Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
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