Help is here for the Detroit Lions' injury-depleted defensive line.

The Lions acquired Za'Darius Smith in a trade with the Cleveland Browns on Tuesday, adding a veteran pass rusher to their defense just a few hours before Tuesday's 2024 NFL trade deadline.

The Lions sent the Browns a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick in return for Smith and 2026 seventh-round pick.

In his weekly Tuesday interview with WJBK-TV Fox 2, Campbell called Smith "a total defensive end" who certainly "can get to the quarterback."

"He brings an element of toughness, smart football player, can set an edge, can get an get an edge in rush, close the pocket down," Campbell said. "He’s just a really good complementary piece that I think is going to work well with our guys."

The Lions (7-1) have won six straight and sit atop the NFC, but have struggled to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks since Aidan Hutchinson broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg in a Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchinson, who led the NFL with 7½ sacks at the time of his injury, is out four to six months but could return if the Lions make the Super Bowl.

The Lions, who also have lost starting defensive end Marcus Davenport and strongside linebacker Derrick Barnes to potential season-ending injuries, have cobbled together a pass rush in wins the past three weeks against the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers.

They had four sacks against the Vikings — one by defensive end Josh Paschal as an unblocked rusher and one apiece by linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez, Jack Campbell and Trevor Nowaske — and another (by linebacker Alex Anzalone on an unblocked rush) against the Titans, but did not sack Packers quarterback Jordan Love in 39 pass attempts Sunday.

Along with Paschal's sack, the Lions have just five other quarterback hits by defensive linemen the past two games: D.J. Reader had one on Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Levi Onwuzurike (two) and James Houston (one) had hits on Titans QB Mason Rudolph, and Alim McNeill had one on Love.

Smith should add immediate help to a pass rush that ranked 16th in the NFL in sack percentage (7.5%) entering the week. The 32-year-old has five sacks in nine games with the Browns this season and 65 sacks in his career.

"It’s exciting," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said in his weekly Tuesday interview on WXYT-FM (97.1). "Obviously saw the news this morning that could be coming down the pipe here and yeah, it’s exciting. I think Brad (Holmes) and those guys have done a great job year after year around this time, making the move or not making the move and being patient and if we’re able to make a move or two today it’d be great."

Smith previously played for the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, and said earlier this fall he was intrigued by the thought of joining the Lions.

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“I’m staying positive, but now that you say that (about trade rumors to the Lions), it might be a good look, a good feel for me,” Smith told the Chronicle-Telegram after Hutchinson’s injury.

The Lions spent the past three weeks canvassing the NFL for defensive help, but found few teams willing to part with capable pass rushers.

"We talk about Hutch, we’re not going to be able to replace Hutch but there’s other things that we can do and you put a bigger burden on your back end is what you’ve got to do and we’ve done that," Campbell said. "They’ve risen to the challenge. Has it been perfect, no, but we are getting takeaways, which is huge, and when your special teams plays (like it did against the Titans) and your offense, then it all collectively, man, we played pretty good."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions acquire Za'Darius Smith in trade with Browns