Super Bowl or Bust: Why the Detroit Lions Should Go All-In on a Defensive End — and Bring Za’Darius Back to Motown

The time for waiting is over in Detroit.

This isn't a rebuild. It’s not a hopeful “next year.” It’s not a “we’ll see what the kids can do.” This is Super Bowl or bust for the 2025 Detroit Lions — and if GM Brad Holmes is serious about delivering a title to the Motor City, then the answer is clear:

Be aggressive. Get another elite pass rusher.

Right now, three impact edge players are either available or holding out — and each one could be the final piece to put the Lions over the top. Let’s break it down.

You don’t often hear NFL free agents say exactly where they want to play. But Za’Darius Smith made it crystal clear to USA TODAY:

Smith joined the Lions midseason in 2024 after Aidan Hutchinson went down. In just eight games, Smith racked up:

That last number — 40 pressures — is what makes him dangerous. That’s more than most players get in a full season. Per PFF, he was one of Detroit’s three best defensive players last year alongside Hutch and Alim McNeill.

At 32, Smith isn’t looking for a paycheck. He’s chasing a ring. He’s played for five NFL teams and been to three Pro Bowls. He knows his role. He wants Detroit. And he’s still producing.

Smith plus Hutchinson together for a full season would give the Lions a top-five edge duo in the NFL — and a nightmare for any NFC quarterback trying to escape the pocket.

T.J. Watt is one of the most dominant edge defenders in football — a Defensive Player of the Year, a five-time Pro Bowler, and the heartbeat of the Steelers defense.

Now? He’s officially holding out.

Watt is reportedly unhappy with his contract and Pittsburgh’s lack of urgency to secure long-term roster depth. And while a trade is unlikely, this is exactly the kind of moment that Super Bowl-chasing teams jump on. Just ask the Rams when they traded for Von Miller.

In 2024, Watt posted:

He’s 30 years old and still elite. Yes, he’d cost draft capital and a massive salary. But T.J. Watt alongside Hutchinson and McNeill would instantly become the most feared front in the league.

Trey Hendrickson wants out of Cincinnati — and isn’t being quiet about it.

The Bengals extended him, but Hendrickson feels disrespected and wants a fresh start elsewhere. He's 29, in his prime, and coming off double-digit sacks in three straight seasons.

2024 Stats:

Hendrickson is a pure edge rusher with violent hands and a motor that doesn’t quit. He’d fit seamlessly into Aaron Glenn’s defense, giving Detroit a legit third-down killer on the opposite side of Hutch.

The cost wouldn’t be cheap, but likely less than Watt — and Hendrickson’s production is right there.

Lions fans know the window is open right now. The NFC North is there for the taking. You’ve got the quarterback. You’ve got the offensive line. You’ve got young studs all over the roster. But great defenses — championship defenses — have more than one elite pass rusher.

Aidan Hutchinson is a monster. But if you want to win the NFC and survive Mahomes or Allen in a Super Bowl, you need more firepower up front.

That’s why it’s time to:

This is it. Don’t play it safe.

Super Bowl or bust means going all-in — and that starts with loading up the pass rush.