Za'Darius Smith just proved the Lions were right all along
After Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending broken leg last season, Za'Darius Smith quickly stood out as a potential edge rusher trade target for the Detroit Lions. A deal got done on trade deadline day, and after the season, general manager Brad Holmes openly talked about how arduous the process was.
Due in large part to how the contract he had with the Cleveland Browns was structured in terms of void years and timing of a big bonus payout, and apparently without being able to agree about a revision to that contract, the Lions waived Smith in March.
For months, as Holmes would get defiant about the perceived lack of attention to adding another capable edge rusher, the idea that Smith could return to the Lions lingered. It also started to become more unlikely.
In early September, Smith signed with a fellow NFC Super Bowl contender, the Philadelphia Eagles. Through six games in a part-time role (38 percent snap share), he showed he had plenty left in the tank (1.5 sacks, Pro Football Focus' 23rd-ranked edge rusher).
Brad Holmes' decision on Za'Darius Smith looks even more savvy now
Criticism of the Lions' decision not to bring Smith has been basically eliminated by the early-season performance of Al-Quadin Muhammad (4.5 sacks, 18 pressures) as a force opposite Hutchinson.
On Monday, out of nowhere, Smith announced his retirement via a post on Instagram.
Holmes at one point acknowledged he was maintaining some level of contact with Smith and/or his agent. Why Smith waited so long to sign with any team, even if he didn't come back to the Lions, was odd.
As an older player, he may have wanted to avoid as much of training camp as possible, if not all of it, and any team that tried to sign him possibly had to have the understanding he would not sign until he did.
The Eagles also played the Thursday night season opener, so signing him right after, like they did, allowed them to avoid guaranteeing his entire base salary for the season.
Beyond anyone's talent level, Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell want players who have full buy-in. If Smith didn't want to sign until the end of training camp or after roster cuts, or if he was willing to wait until after Week 1 with the guaranteed salary thing in mind, it may have landed wrong in Allen Park.
Holmes' instincts are as good as any general manager's in the league. So even if Smith didn't openly say retirement was somewhere on his mind, conversations could have offered hints he would do so if he didn't find the right team to sign with before the season. And six weeks in, he decided he didn't want to finish the season.
Holmes never seemed all that enthused about bringing Smith back to the Lions, whatever played into that. He now looks clairvoyant for having that hesitation, since he would now be searching for a replacement as the trade deadline fast approaches.
Vikings Breathe Sigh of Relief After Injury Update to Player in ‘Key Role’
Just four days ago, the Minnesota Vikings were scrambling at the wide receiver position while on the cusp of quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s regular-season NFL debut.
But then came a trade that reunited the Vikings with longtime wideout and hometown hero Adam Thielen. And three days after that, Minnesota dropped good news with regards to the health of injured receiver Jalen Nailor.
The #Vikings are optimistic about wide receiver Jalen Nailor (hand) playing Week 1 vs. Chicago barring a setback, per sources. Minnesota envisions a key role for Nailor, especially with Jordan Addison out via suspension.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) August 31, 2025
“The Vikings are optimistic about wide receiver Jalen Nailor (hand) playing Week 1 vs. Chicago barring a setback, per sources,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported via social media on Sunday, August 31. “Minnesota envisions a key role for Nailor, especially with Jordan Addison out via suspension.”
Jalen Nailor’s Injury Caused Serious Concern in Vikings’ Wide Receivers Room
Nailor suffered an injury to his left hand during mid-August and hasn’t played or practiced in more than two weeks. Up until Fowler’s report Sunday, Minnesota had not released a specific timeline on Nailor’s potential return.
His injury, coupled with the league’s suspension of Addison for off-field issues connected to a DUI charge in Los Angeles last summer, left the receivers room with superstar Justin Jefferson as the No. 1 option and not much else behind him beyond a pair of rookies: third-round pick Tai Felton and Myles Price, who went undrafted in April.
Thus, the team’s pursuit of Thielen, whose presence Nailor may now fortunately still complement in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field as part of “Monday Night Football” on September 8.
Adam Thielen Could Threaten Targets for Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor
How the receivers room shakes out once Addison returns is an issue that could impact everyone in the position group save for Jefferson, whose role at the top is cemented.
Thielen returns to Minnesota after a two-year stint with the Carolina Panthers, where he accounted for 1,629 receiving yards and nine TDs on 151 catches across 27 games played. Thielen missed seven contests last season with a hamstring injury.
At 35 years old, Thielen is still a potential threat to targets for Addison and certainly for Nailor, the latter of whom is entering a contract year.
Nailor produced a career campaign in 2024 characterized by 28 receptions for 414 yards and six TDs. Meanwhile Addison, a former first-rounder in 2023, has put up two big years in the league. His first saw him finish with 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 scores across 17 games, while he produced 63 receptions for 875 yards and nine TDs in 15 appearances in 2024.
Given Addison’s age (23), his recent production and how they combine to translate into a playmaking source this season and beyond, it is most likely that he will return in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and relatively quickly resume his position as the No. 2 receiver.
At that point, Thielen is likely to dip to the WR3 spot, which would naturally push Nailor out of the regular rotation. However, given the fact that Addison missed two games last season, Thielen was absent for seven contests in 2024 and Jefferson sat out seven outings of his own two years ago, there is a reasonable chance the Vikings will call on Nailor to fill in for one of the three pass-catchers ahead of him on the roster.
