The Cleveland Browns made a trade on Tuesday morning, shipping defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round selection and a 2026 sixth-rounder.
Cleveland made their move as the team is currently sitting at 2-7, and the Browns – who are tied with several teams with the worst record in the NFL – are on the cusp of a Top 10 draft pick in 2025.
The Browns are acquiring more draft capital, a need for teams like Cleveland that will undergo a rebuild next season.
By trading Smith, the Browns are moving on from a former Pro Bowler who revitalized his career in 2024.
The team is also opening a role for their fourth-round draft pick last year, clearing a pathway to see what defensive end Isaiah McGuire is capable of in the remaining eight contests.
As the Browns have little hope of making this year’s postseason, finding out what key reserves and rookies can do should be Cleveland’s top priority.
McGuire fits that mold.
After playing in four games last year, McGuire has been a reserve in all but one contest thus far.
The 2023 draft pick has 17 tackles in limited action this season, and he’s logged a forced fumble and assisted on a sack.
Cleveland has star pass rusher Myles Garrett to man one end of its defensive line, but finding someone to complement his pass rush is their goal.
A veteran like Ogbo Okoronkwo can be a big piece moving forward, and the Browns remain high on Alex Wright.
Wright, however, is out for the season after having surgery to repair an injury to his tricep muscle.
The Browns should now explore McGuire’s capabilities, allowing the team to identify if he can finally fill that void opposite Garrett in 2025.
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