Dan Campbell Hit With ‘Stupid’ Remark After Claiming Lions Quietly Good Without Za’Darius Smith

The Detroit Lions quickly moved on from Za’Darius Smith. And it was perhaps in the harshest way possible. In a recent interview, head coach Dan Campbell said, “We’re ready to go,” when asked if they had plans to bring the edge rusher back. The comment quickly raised eyebrows and disappointed many fans who were hoping to see Smith in a Lions jersey. The comment also prompted a response from someone really close to the player.

Spenny from Woodward Sports Network argues that signing Smith would clearly improve the Lions’ Super Bowl chances. He’s a proven high-impact player who wants to be in Detroit. A one-year deal under $10 million would be low-risk for a team in a championship window.

He went on to call out the franchise and coach, saying, “If you don’t want the Lions to go out and get Za’Darius Smith, you’re f—— stupid.” He added, “We’re talking about signing Za’Darius Smith for one f——- year, we’re not talking about signing a 30-year-old for two, we’re talking about one year where you got 40 million cap space to bring in a guy that’s cost you under 10 million dollars.” 

He was released back in March to save salary cap space. Smith was set to have a $5.7 million cap hit in 2025, including $2 million guaranteed on the third day of the new league year. His contract also had three void years that could have added $5.2 million to Detroit’s 2026 salary cap. By releasing him before March 15, the Lions saved the $2 million that would have become guaranteed, avoided any dead money, and declined a $7 million option bonus.

Smith has been a consistent pass-rush presence throughout his career. The 2015 fourth-round pick spent four seasons with Baltimore before signing a four-year, $66 million deal with Green Bay in 2019. He earned Pro Bowl honors in his first two Packers seasons with 26 sacks, five forced fumbles, and 29 tackles for loss. A back injury sidelined him in 2021, followed by one season with Minnesota before being traded to Cleveland in 2023. The Lions acquired Smith from Cleveland before last year’s trade deadline, and he proved solid. He recorded 12 tackles, three for loss, 10 quarterback hits, four sacks, and one pass defended in eight games with Detroit.

While it may not ruin the 2025 season if it doesn’t happen, Spenny believes it could have been a smart move for the team’s immediate success. Had it happened, pairing of him with Hutchinson for a potentially dangerous edge duo would have been a sight.

Now, Campbell’s “we’re good” comment didn’t sit well with Smith’s girlfriend. The Detroit rapper Kash Doll fired back on Instagram. “Hey coach. We’re good,” Kash Doll said with a waving emoji. However, this takes us to what is the reason behind his decision.

“We got (Marcus) Davenport, we got good depth. I like what we got interior too. We got a lot of flexibility, and we’re sitting pretty good right now. So we’re ready to go,” he said on 97.1 The Ticket’s Costa and Jansen. It seems that the team feels solid with its current defensive line, pointing to Davenport as a starter and praising the depth and flexibility along the interior. However, Davenport couldn’t play more than 6 games in the last year due to injuries. 

Now, the team will lean heavily on Davenport and Aidan Hutchinson as starters, with Al-Quadin Muhammad as the top backup. The Lions are seemingly prioritizing internal depth and keeping the roster healthy rather than bringing back players from the past. However, Brad Holmes seems to think otherwise.

Brad Holmes had a different opinion

Lions GM Holmes left the door open for a possible reunion with Smith. Holmes stressed that the team’s single open roster spot is about flexibility. He said, “Anything’s a possibility,” and that the open spot will go to whichever player makes the most sense for the team, rather than being reserved for a former player. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but the one open roster spot, we just have one open spot. It’s not for a specific player; it’s for the player that makes the most sense for us, whoever that player may be,” he said.

Smith had expressed his wish to join the team. “We both know where I want to be. Hopefully, I can get back to Detroit because the coaching staff and everybody in the front office are great. When I’m there, I feel like a leader and like I can influence the young guys and do great things. Hopefully, I can get back to where I want to be in Detroit,” he told USA Today. He might no longer have the same wish.

So, while a reunion remains possible, the team is primarily focused on maintaining flexibility and building the roster based on current needs and performance.