It took a while to hammer out the details, but the Detroit Lions finally got a deal done before Tuesday’s trade deadline. Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith is heading to Detroit after agreeing to a trade.

Let’s break down the trade and offer an overall grade for the move.

Terms

As a reminder, here’s what it cost to acquire:

Lions get:

• Za’Darius Smith
• 2026 seventh-round pick

Browns get:

• 2025 fifth-round pick
• 2026 sixth-round pick

It became clear over the past few days that the Browns wanted a fourth-round pick, but Lions general manager Brad Holmes stood pat and found an alternate way of giving the Browns more than a fifth-round pick.

But was it really that much more than a fifth-round pick? Remember, the Lions are almost certainly headed toward the playoffs this year, and hoping for a deep run. That means this fifth-round pick is going to be late in the round. Tacking on a swap of 2026 picks doesn’t feel all that important, particularly because Holmes isn’t losing a pick in that draft, simply downgrading it. And if the Browns follow on their current trajectory, is a Lions sixth-round pick in 2026 going to be that far off from a Browns seventh-round pick?

Last week, the Chiefs traded for Josh Uche for a 2026 sixth-round pick. While the cost here is more, Uche is on an expiring contract and is nowhere near the player (or the fit) that Smith is.

Terms grade: A

Financial cost

The financial cost for the Lions is almost none. Detroit only has to pick up the remaining prorated salary for 2024 ($605,000).

If Detroit wants to keep Smith around for 2025, it’s a little more complicated. He has a $1.5 million salary, a $5.592 million option bonus that hits the cap over three voided years, a $2 million roster bonus, and in-game bonuses of $510,000 total.

So, in short, it would cost them around $9.6 million in cash, but the cap hits would be spread out. He’d cost around $5.4 million against the cap in 2025, and when his contract automatically voids in 2026, Detroit would incur about $4.2 million in dead cap.

If Detroit opts not to keep him around for 2025, they can cut him before the option and roster bonus hit, leaving them with zero dead cap on their books.

Finances grade: A+

Schematic fit

The Lions like their defensive ends big and physical. Well, let me introduce you to 6-foot-4, 270-pound Za’Darius Smith. While at 32 years old, he’s not at his athletic peak anymore, he’s still got some pass moves to counter his power moves. Miss the Aidan Hutchinson spin move? I’ve got some good news:

Perhaps more importantly, Smith is a willing and able edge setter. Over the last five games, the Lions defense has uncharacteristically struggled, allowing 124.2 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. Smith has a solid PFF run defense grade of 65.9 this season. Comparatively speaking, here’s how other Lions defensive ends grade out in run defense:

• James Houston: 32.0
• Al-Quadin Muhammad: 41.9
• Isaiah Thomas: 55.0

Additionally, Smith can move all around the defensive line. Take this snippet from this week’s Pride of Detroit Direct newsletter, via Fantasy Points’ Brett Whitefield:

“He is a guy you can scheme up to get optimal looks. This year alone he has lined up from a 3-point stance, in wide-9, all the way inside at 3-technique, and everything in between. He can rush from a 2-point stance while over a tight end. He has been excellent kicking inside from a 2-point stance rushing as a “mug” LB rusher in either the A gap or B gap. He has been great on stunts, twists, and delays, and you can even play him in this SAM LB role the Lions have tried with the likes of Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske.”

Schematic fit grade: A

Talent

Is this a trade on the level of Maxx Crosby or Myles Garrett? Obviously not. Is Smith at the apex of his career? No. But for what basically amounts to a mid-Day 3 pick, Smith is about as good as you can get.

That said, temper your expectations a bit. Smith is not going to be a double-digit sack guy in Detroit. There are valid questions to be had about whether he can keep up his production without Garrett taking up attention on the other side of the line. And even playing alongside strong teammates in Cleveland, Smith had two or fewer pressures in five of nine games this year.

Of course, he also has at least five pressures in three of those five games. He will also benefit from DJ Reader and Alim McNeill eating up space in the middle. If Smith gets more attention in Detroit, it could free up McNeill, Reader, or Josh Paschal to make plays—and they’ve all proven capable of winning their one-on-ones.

Smith isn’t playing the best football of his career, but he’s an above-average starter, he’s still capable of playing 60-70% of snaps a game, and he’s a veteran who can even help out Detroit’s young room.

Talent grade: B

Overall

There’s a reason why the Lions’ EDGE search seemed hyper-focused on Smith. He’s an ideal fit, a balanced player, and a Dan Campbell guy—all at an extremely affordable price both in terms of draft picks and cap hit.

Overall grade: A

Keep track of all the offseason moves the Milwaukee Brewers have made leading into the 2025 Major League Baseball season. As of Nov. 4, free agents were eligible to sign with new teams.

Upcoming dates to know

• Nov. 5-7: General manager meetings in San Antonio.
• Nov. 19: Deadline for free-agent players to accept a qualifying offer (3 p.m. CT) and deadline to add players to the 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft (5 p.m.). Players to watch at this stage include Willy Adames, who was given a $21.05 million qualifying offer for one year from the Brewers, and minor-league pitcher Logan Henderson as a potential add to the 40-man. Adames will almost certainly decline the offer, in line to make far more on the open market.
• Nov. 22: Deadline to tender contracts for players on the 40-man roster; those not tendered a contract by this date become free agents. Players to watch at this stage include Hoby Milner.
• Dec. 9-11: Winter meetings in Dallas, which includes the MLB draft lottery on Dec. 10 and the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 11.
• Jan. 10: Deadline for salary arbitration-eligible players and teams to exchange monetary figures.
• Feb. 12: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training.

Brewers essentially cut ties with Jake Bauers and Bryse Wilson

Nov. 4: First baseman Jake Bauers and pitcher Bryse Wilson were placed on waivers over the weekend, indicating the Brewers were going to non-tender both later this month. They cleared waivers and became free agents.

Wilson pitched in a variety of roles for the Brewers over the past two seasons and was named the club’s Unsung Hero of the Year in 2023 after pitching to a 2.58 earned run average in 76⅔ innings. Wilson had a 4.04 ERA this season, giving him a mark of 3.42 in 181⅓ innings with Milwaukee.

Bauers largely scuffled at the plate during his one season with the Brewers (he had a .662 OPS) but did provide some power (12 homers), played great defense at first base and delivered one of the biggest hits of the year with a pinch-hit, go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of Game 3 of the wild-card series.

Frankie Montas declines his option

Nov. 4: In an unsurprising move, Frankie Montas will hit free agency after declining his $20 million mutual option. Montas’ contract comes with a $2 million buyout.

Montas may not get that same value on the open market as a free agent, but it was an inevitability that the Brewers were going to decline the mutual option, so the right-hander ultimately opted out.

Montas was acquired by the Brewers at the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds for Jakob Junis and Joey Wiemer. He pitched Game 2 of the playoff series against New York.

Kevin Herget, Rob Zastryzny claimed off waivers

Nov. 4: The Brewers waived relievers Kevin Herget and Rob Zastryzny, and both were claimed by the Mets and Cubs, respectively.

Herget pitched to a 1.59 ERA in 11⅓ innings, showing a changeup that was at times devastating.

Zastryzny, a left-hander, appeared in nine games and threw 7⅔ innings, allowing just one run. He started three games as an opener, but left elbow tendinitis landed him on the injured list in late July and he never returned to the majors.

Brewers decline options on Devin Williams and Eric Haase, but they remain with organization

Nov. 3: The Brewers declined options for both closer Devin Williams and backup catcher Eric Haase, but both remained under club control.

Williams, instead of earning the $10.5 million on the deal he signed before the 2024 season, will enter his third and final offseason of arbitration, en route to becoming a free agent in advance of the 2026 season. He was expected to earn just less than $8 million in arbitration.

Haase, likewise, will go through the arbitration process for the first time.

Brewers waive starting pitcher Colin Rea and pick up option on Freddy Peralta

Nov. 2: With no intent to pick up starting pitcher Colin Rea’s $5.5 million club option for 2025, the Brewers informed the 34-year-old of their intent to place him on waivers.

It counted as the biggest surprise of the early offseason after Rea threw 167⅔ innings in 2024. It essentially meant the team was moving on, whether he was claimed on waivers or if he wasn’t, at which point the team would simply pay a $1 million buyout. He cleared waivers shortly thereafter.

In a no-brainer move, the Brewers also picked up the $8 million option on the contract of starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, the team’s No. 1 starter in 2024.

Brewers trade Wisconsin native Owen Miller to Colorado Rockies

Nov. 2: Owen Miller, the Ozaukee High School alumnus who had spent time with the Brewers each of the last two seasons, was traded to Colorado for cash considerations.

Miller had a big month of May in 2023 but wasn’t able to cement an everyday roster spot with the Brewers over the next 1½ seasons. Miller was designated for assignment in July 2024 and he spent the remainder of the season with Class AAA Nashville.

Brewers part ways with catcher Gary Sánchez

Nov. 2: Backup catcher Gary Sánchez hit the open market after the Brewers declined the team option for 2025 and paid a $4 million buyout.

Sánchez batted .220 with a .699 OPS and hit 11 home runs in 89 games and 280 plate appearances in his first and only season with Milwaukee, serving primarily as the backup to William Contreras and facing left-handed pitching.

Brewers decline option on pitcher Wade Miley

Oct. 31: Left-handed starter Wade Miley could still be back in some capacity, but it won’t be on the $12.5 million club option for 2025. The Brewers declined that and paid a $1.5 million buyout instead. Miley missed the vast majority of the 2024 season with injury.

MINNEAPOLIS — The U.S. Justice Department announced on Monday plans to monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in 86 jurisdictions in 27 states for the Nov. 5 general election.

Among those districts are three in Minnesota:

• Hennepin County, Minnesota
• City of Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Ramsey County, Minnesota

The DOJ enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. To do this, the department said it regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.

On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws

Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931.