Dan Campbell offers initial thoughts on Za’Darius Smith trade

Late on Tuesday, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell spoke for the first time publicly about the Za’Darius Smith trade.

When news broke that the Detroit Lions had agreed to terms to trade for Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith, Lions coach Dan Campbell was actually on local radio. In an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather” show, Campbell couldn’t really comment on the move, since it wasn’t official yet.

“Well, Ian’s (Rapoport) got all the answers, doesn’t he?” Campbell joked.

But later in the evening after the Lions announced the trade, Campbell joined FOX 2 Detroit’s Dan Miller and gave some initial thoughts on Smith.

“It’s good to get him here. He brings an element of toughness, smart football player, can set an edge, can get an edge in rush, close the pocket down,” Campbell said. “He’s just a really good complementary piece that I think is going to work well with our guys.”

The Lions reportedly were in talks with the Browns as early as Week 7, hoping to find a player that could help them in the wake of the Aidan Hutchinson injury. Hutchinson provided the team with 7.5 sacks through five games and had a huge lead in the NFL in pressures (45, per PFF). Since then, Detroit has struggled to generate any consistent pressure through their defensive line. In the past three games, the only defensive lineman to record a sack is Josh Paschal, who had a single sack against the Vikings.

But Smith should be a boost in that facet of the game. Through nine games with the Browns, Smith has five sacks, 27 pressures, and a 71.1 PFF pass rush grade.

“He provides, really, a lot,” Campbell continued with Miller. “I feel like this guy’s a total defensive end and certainly he can get to the quarterback.”