Za'Darius Smith's NFC North tour continued when he landed a trade to the Detroit Lions before last season's deadline.
Smith spoke openly about wanting revenge on the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. He told reporters he was "glad to be on the other side now" after joining the Lions.
He even made his own NFC North title ring to celebrate.
Packers and Vikings fans might not agree on much, but we all knew how this story would end.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Lions have released the veteran pass-rusher just four months after sending two Day 3 draft picks to the Cleveland Browns to bring him to Detroit.
Za'Darius Smith's time with Lions ends in the most predictable way imaginable for Packers fans
Smith made an impact in Detroit, with four sacks and 10 quarterback hits in eight regular-season games, including a sack on Jordan Love in Week 14. However, Smith went missing in the Lions' one-and-done playoff loss, registering zero sacks while earning an awful 27.9 PFF run defense grade.
The Lions made the same realization the Packers did. Smith is a talented player but not worth keeping on his current contract. This move creates around $5.7 million in cap space but leaves the Lions with a pass-rush vacancy.
Smith is still a premier pass-rusher but is far too inconsistent against the run. His tackling remains an issue — PFF credited him with 13 missed tackles in 2024. Only five edge defenders had more.
What's next for Smith?
Will he complete the NFC North set by signing with the Chicago Bears? Will he talk about getting revenge on the Lions in the same way he wanted payback on the Packers and Vikings?
Time will tell. Smith is a talented pass-rusher and can help a team searching for help up front. However, the Lions have become the third NFC North team to part ways with the former Pro Bowler, and this exit felt predictable to Packers fans from the moment the Lions traded for him.