When the Lions cut Za'Darius Smith this offseason, the two sides didn't cut ties. Both parties are open to running it back, at the right price.
"We both know where I want to be," Smith said Monday at the BET Awards, via 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."
The Lions released Smith ahead of free agency to save $5.7 million against the cap this year and up to $5.2 million next, due to three void years at the end of his contract. GM Brad Holmes said shortly thereafter that the Lions "couldn't afford" to bring Smith back at that cost: "That's the bottom line. That was my communication with him and he understood that."
But the Lions kept in contact with Smith, who remains a free agent coming off a season in which he had nine sacks in 17 games, including four sacks in eight games with Detroit following a trade from the Browns. Smith was tied for third in the NFL over the latter stretch with 36 quarterback pressures, per Pro Football Focus, trailing only Micah Parsons and his former teammate Myles Garrett.
Smith angled for a trade to the Lions last fall in pursuit of his first Super Bowl ring. He hopes to return for the same reason.
"I’m going into Year 11. As a veteran (a championship) is the only thing that I’m missing," he said. "I did the sacks, All-Pro, Pro Bowl, so it’s really just me getting a ring now and winning a championship."
The Lions do have the cap space to get something done with Smith, as long as it's a short-term (likely one-year) deal. Their cap situation doesn't get tight until next season when several recently-signed extensions escalate in cost.
Smith, who turns 33 in September, is also drawn to Detroit for the chance to team up with Aidan Hutchinson, who was already done for the season with a fractured leg when Smith arrived last year. They could form the pass-rushing duo the Lions appear to be lacking entering another season with Super Bowl ambitions.
"I’m still a veteran. He’s still a young guy," said Smith. "I can help him with a lot of things. He’s already great but as a player there are some tools that I know that I can help him with. And there are some things as a young guy that he can help me with."
Holmes spoke with Smith's agent at the NFL's annual meetings in March and said prior to the draft that "we kind of left it as that his agent would let us know if something was going on or if anything has changed or if we have any updates."
Talks could resume this summer, especially if Smith remains unsigned into training camp.