After the disappointment of falling short of reaching the Super Bowl, Za’Darius Smith, a recent addition to the Detroit Lions roster, took to social media to share his outlook for the upcoming NFL season.
The Detroit Lions were one of the standout teams this season, but their playoff journey came to an end with a tough loss to the Commanders at Ford Field. Now, the focus shifts to the future, as Za’Darius Smith made clear in a candid message on his social media.
With a wealth of experience in the NFL, particularly within the NFC North, Smith’s arrival to Dan Campbell’s team was expected to help fill the gap left by Aidan Hutchinson. While Smith’s individual performance met expectations, the team’s ultimate goal was not achieved.
On his official Instagram account @zadariussmith, Smith expressed his disappointment over not reaching the Super Bowl, but reaffirmed his commitment to the franchise for the 2025 season.
“Motor City, 2024 didn’t go as planned at all; we fell short of the outcome we had planned for! 2025 gives us another opportunity to adjust and go for that championship! I enjoyed every moment with my boys, and even though some faces have changed for the new season, I hope to be a part of this great organization for the future!” he shared.
Could Maxx Crosby join the Lions?
The Lions were forced to make a quick move after Aidan Hutchinson suffered a serious injury mid-season, with Za’Darius Smith stepping into the role. With Smith’s future uncertain, fans are now wondering who could fill the position going forward.
Recently, a post from Maxx Crosby on social media has stirred excitement among Detroit fans, with hopes of him joining the Lions next season. “Undisputed. They Will Wish They Treated You Better When Times Were Tough. The Fake Always Expose Themselves…. #LIMITLESS,” Crosby wrote on @CrosbyMaxx.
Rumors suggest that Crosby might be considering a move away from the Las Vegas Raiders, and according to SI.com, he has repeatedly stated that if he leaves Las Vegas, the Lions would be his preferred destination.
The Lions’ challenges after key injuries
Despite their strong performance this season, the Lions were hit hard by injuries, many of which were significant. Smith’s arrival was partly due to Hutchinson’s injury, along with other concerns. GM Brad Holmes shared his thoughts on the situation in a recent press conference.
“This was the first year, especially the attrition at one spot, obviously linebacker we got really hit, we got hit in training camp at linebacker, then it trickled into the season. But pass rusher, and this was the first time we’ve had to trade for a pass rusher this year, and I will say that was the most difficult player acquisition journey that I’ve ever dealt with,” Holmes said. “Look, you can talk about – you can look at all these names of all these starting defensive ends in the NFL, but when you start doing the work and you start making the calls, that thing shrinks down.”
“From an availability standpoint, that thing shrinks down like this (to very few available). And a lot of the guys, look, we have an early – kind of have an early trade deadline, so you start calling these other teams and these other GMs and they might have four rushers. And so, forget the starters, those guys aren’t even available,” he added.
Holmes concluded, “We’re talking about thirds and fourths, and I can’t really disagree with them, where they say, ‘Look, we’ve got two-plus months of football left and I trade you one and then we get another one hurt and then we’ve only got two.’ And I was like, ‘I didn’t really expect you to be rational and think about it that way.’ But it’s true, so there wasn’t, so when we got Za’Darius, he was one of a small handful of guys that were actually available to actually get that we felt was going to compete and contribute at a starter level.”
