GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Detroit Lions have been searching for pass rush help for weeks, and the slow-moving trade market at the position might finally be picking up steam with the 2024 NFL trade deadline less than 48 hours away at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The Lions have been calling around the league looking for help for their injury-riddled defensive line since losing Aidan Hutchinson to a broken leg in their Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13.

There is generally considered to be a dearth of good pass rushers around the NFL, available for trade or not, and teams have been reluctant to listen to offers on players the Lions have identified as potential upgrades. Their edge unit already has lost four players at the top of the depth chart.

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Hutchinson is out four to six months with a broken leg, Marcus Davenport is out for the season with a torn triceps, starting outside linebacker Derrick Barnes could miss the rest of the year with a knee injury, and John Cominsky has not played this season because of a torn MCL.

Cominsky, who was injured in training camp, could return in December; Davenport and Barnes suffered their injuries in Week 3; and Hutchinson led the NFL in sacks at the time of his injury.

The Lions, one of the Super Bowl favorites in the NFC, have cast a wide net in searching for pass rush help, including calling the Las Vegas Raiders about star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who is not available, a person familiar with the calls told the Free Press.

Heading into Week 9 games at the midpoint of the NFL season, teams were reluctant to make moves at one of the NFL’s premium positions, choosing instead to wait and see how this week’s games impacted the playoff chase.

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The Cleveland Browns were one team considered potential sellers, especially with a loss Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, to fall to 2-7.

Multiple reports Saturday said the Lions and Browns have discussed a potential trade for pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, and Pro Football Talk reported Sunday talks could progress to a deal by late Sunday or Monday.

Smith entered Sunday with five sacks in eight games, including one each of the past two weeks. The 32-year-old pass rusher has 65 career sacks in 10 seasons, and could be the top defensive end dealt this week.

He 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.

“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.

He added, “If I was to go to Detroit, I would like it, because I get to play Green Bay twice a year and the Vikings twice a year. So, yeah, that’ll be big.”

The Lions have largely mixed and matched personnel on their defensive line in recent weeks. Josh Paschal, who entered the season as the Lions’ third defensive end behind Hutchinson and Davenport, missed his second straight game Sunday vs. the Green Bay Packers for medical reasons, but could return to the lineup as soon as next week against the Houston Texans.

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The Lions elevated Al-Quadin Muhammad from the practice squad Sunday for the second straight week, and used defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike and edge rusher Isaiah Thomas, who they signed off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad in October, extensively at edge in last week’s win over the Tennessee Titans.

The Lions entered the week 16th in the NFL in sack percentage at 7.49%, with just five sacks from healthy defensive linemen: Alim McNeill (2½), Onwuzurike (1½) and D.J. Reader (one). The team had no sacks against a hobbled Jordan Love in Sunday's 24-14 win.

They have seven picks in the 2025 draft to use as trade capital. They do not have a third-round pick, but have an extra seventh-rounder from the Dallas Cowboys.

Dave Birkett will sign copies of his new book, "Detroit Lions: An Illustrated Timeline" at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Applebee's in Auburn Hills and from noon-2 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Troy Sports Card Show at the Balkan American Community Center. Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions trade talks latest: Za'Darius Smith deal coming?