The Cleveland Browns are in pure rebuild mode, as they’ve looked to turn the page after a disastrous few years headlined by the Deshaun Watson trade.

They managed to keep disgruntled star Myles Garrett on a major three-year deal that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL. However, the remainder of their once-elite defensive line is now elsewhere.

Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson signed with the Arizona Cardinals this offseason. And edge rusher Za’Darius Smith was traded to the Detroit Lions midseason for a 2025 draft pick.

With the draft coming up, let’s look at the Smith trade and see the return on both sides.

Original trade terms for Za’Darius Smith

• Detroit receives: DE Za’Darius Smith, 2026 seventh-round pick
• Cleveland receives: 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 sixth-round pick

The 2025 fifth-round pick slots in at pick 164 now that the season has ended.

What did the Browns do with the pick for Za’Darius Smith?

The Browns did not keep the fifth-round pick that they got in the Smith trade. Instead, they flipped it this offseason in a move to acquire quarterback Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles. Cleveland also sent out quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the trade.

Philadelphia then used that pick to move up fro 32 to 31 in the first round, so the Kansas City Chiefs now own the selection. We’ll update this post once that happens.

How did the Browns and Lions fare from the trade of Za’Dairus Smith?

The Lions got some solid production from the pass-rusher, as the veteran had four sacks in eight games (seven starts) in Detroit. Smith filled the shoes of Aidan Hutchinson, who was lost for the season with an injury, and played in 60 percent of the team’s defensive snaps.

Cleveland got a solid return for Smith, but maybe not as good as they expected, given the pass-rusher’s production. They did not keep the 2025 fifth-round pick, however, as they moved it for quarterback Kenny Pickett to add to their competition.

While Pickett’s production could sway how this deal is portrayed in the future, the Lions are trending early as the winner, especially since they paid Smith $605,000.