Lions film review: A look at Za'Darius Smith's pass-rush skill set

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So you traded for an edge rusher.

Let’s get to know what the Detroit Lions are getting in veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith.

Measurables

Smith has a good frame, checking in at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, but with slightly shorter than average arm length for his position. Those measured at 32 5/8 inches when he was coming out of Kentucky.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2015, Smith didn’t post particularly impressive testing numbers at the scouting combine or his pro day, with below-average metrics in explosion, agility and strength. To be fair, outside the bench press, those drills typically favor smaller edge rushers.

Statistics

Smith is in his 10th season, playing four with Baltimore, three in Green Bay, one in Minnesota, and the last year and a half in Cleveland. He’s appeared in 132 games, making 89 starts, while tallying 321 tackles, 65 sacks and 10 forced fumbles.

Here’s a breakdown of his more recent production:

• 2022: 16 starts, 771 defensive snaps, 44 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 80 QB pressures

• 2023: 16 starts, 584 defensive snaps, 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 61 QB pressures

• 2024: 9 starts, 327 defensive snaps, 23 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 27 QB pressures

Usage

This season, Smith has been used almost exclusively along the line of scrimmage, with the majority of his snaps (72.8%) coming from left-side alignments. Primarily an edge rusher, he will situationally slide inside. Earlier in his career, he saw a percentage of his workload off the ball, but never more than 100 snaps in a season.

Let’s take a look at some of Smith’s film to get a better feel for his skill set and rush style.