The Green Bay Packers will host the Detroit Lions in Week 1 of the NFL season. It’s a significant game between two divisional foes with a lot of history and potential entering the 2025 season. Green Bay, like Detroit, is looking to advance to the Divisional Round, and they have an extra playmaker in the form of Matthew Golden to supplement Jordan Love’s offensive arsenal.
This will be an exciting season opening for both teams hoping to get an early advantage in the NFC North. For Detroit, it marks the beginning of a difficult road schedule that has them at the top of the schedule strength list for road games this season.
And for Green Bay, it marks the beginning of a much simpler schedule.
However, the Lions are still missing one man who may make this rivalry game even more exciting: pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, who, you may or may not know, despises the Packers.
The Lions must re-sign Smith before they play Green Bay.
Smith, who arrived in Detroit last season via trade with the Cleveland Browns, contributed to fortify a pass rush that was missing Aidan Hutchinson due to injury. However, he has yet to be re-signed by the Lions this offseason, despite fans’ strong desire to see him return with Hutchinson for 2025.
Smith also despises the Packers. After Detroit defeated Green Bay last season, the former Green Bay player informed a reporter that his performance for the Lions, and before for the Minnesota Vikings, stemmed from a desire for revenge against them.
“I gave it to them for two years, and when I got hurt, they sent me down as if I was nothing. But I am pleased to be on the other side now. You are aware that I had the opportunity to exact my retribution upon the Vikings. And I came to Detroit and exacted my retribution,” he continued.
Smith has some very strong feelings, and they most likely have not gone away, given how he felt last season. If given the chance, it seems likely that he would make it just as personal to help beat the Packers on the road in Week 1. Dan Campbell and the Lions’ front staff need to pick up the phone and close this trade right away.
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