Za’Darius Smith’s arrival in Detroit is not just about adding depth to the Lions’ roster; it’s about boosting their chances of winning a Super Bowl.

The team didn’t trade for the veteran defensive end simply to secure victories in regular-season games, but to fortify their defense for a championship run.

In a rare move, the Lions decided to send Smith home first after the trade was completed.

He won’t officially join the team until Friday, with coach Dan Campbell uncertain if Smith will play in their Sunday night game against the Houston Texans.

“He’s been in the league for a while, and the Browns were heading into their bye week,” Campbell explained on Wednesday.

“He got the call from us, everything got done, and now we’re giving him some time to rest and recharge before he reports back on Friday.”

What makes this situation easier is that Smith already understands his role with the Lions — focusing on rushing the quarterback.

To secure him, Detroit traded a fifth-round pick in 2025 and swapped a sixth-round pick in 2026 for a seventh-round pick.

“It’s tough, especially during the season, to land someone who can rush the passer,” said Campbell.

“Teams aren’t eager to part with those guys, which is understandable.”

The trade came after the Lions suffered significant injuries to their pass rush.

A major reason for targeting Smith was the injury to Jameson Williams, Hutchinson, the Lions’ star pass rusher, who broke his left leg in mid-October.

Hutchinson remains tied for fifth in the league with 7.5 sacks and is second with 17 quarterback hits, despite missing four games.

Had Hutchinson been the only injury concern, the Lions may have relied on their existing players to fill the gap.

However, the situation worsened with Marcus Davenport, the other starting defensive end, sidelined for the season due to an arm injury.

The Lions also placed linebacker Derrick Barnes and defensive end John Cominsky on injured reserve with knee injuries.

Defensive end Josh Paschal, a cancer survivor, missed the last two games following surgery to remove a benign growth.

“We took a hit in one position — we lost both our starters and our depth,” Campbell said. “That’s why we needed to add someone to help, but it’s not easy to find a pass rusher. It’s not like trading for a receiver or running back.”

Despite these challenges, Paschal is expected to return for the game against the Texans, which could lessen the burden on the Lions’ defense.

Campbell believes there’s a good chance Smith will see playing time, though his role will depend on how quickly he adapts to Detroit’s defensive schemes.

“We’ll see how many different packages we can use him in and how much of the playbook we can get him up to speed on, but we’ll definitely find a way to use him,” Campbell said. “We’ll just have to wait until he gets here on Friday.”

In addition to Smith, the Lions will also welcome back wide receiver Jameson Williams, who is returning from a two-game suspension. “I’ve learned to be smarter and move smarter in certain situations,” Williams said. “It’s huge to know how much faith Coach has in me.”

As the Lions make these strategic additions, they aim to strengthen their roster for the final stretch of the season and push toward a Super Bowl run.

With Smith and Williams back in the fold, Detroit is poised to make a significant impact in the second half of the year.