HOUSTON – Detroit Lions fans will have to wait at least another week to see newly acquired pass rusher Za’Darius Smith in a Lions uniform.
Smith, 32, who was scheduled to be on the bye this week before his trade from Cleveland to Detroit last Tuesday, was given a couple days off by Lions head coach Dan Campbell earlier in the week so he could check on his property in Florida affected by recent hurricanes that came through the state. He joined practice Friday, but is going to get the night off so he'll be fresh and ready to roll for the stretch run the final two months of the season.
"I think each case is kind of unique, right, and his is unique in the fact, number one, he's a veteran player," Campbell said Friday. "He's got a lot of miles on the body, and he can still do it, but it's also, I think it's important for him to be able to get a little bit of a breather. "That's one, two is that you just got traded. It's a whirlwind. All of a sudden, 'I was healed, we were getting ready for the team photo, was going into the bye, now all of a sudden I drive up here to Detroit and oh by the way, there was a hurricane that hit down south where my house is.'
"There's just, there's these things and I think it creates some stress that you can alleviate. That's more important than we have to force the issue right now and I would rather him be of sound body and mind for the rest of this long haul than I would try to force the issue right now."
Detroit does get edge rusher Josh Paschal back tonight. He sat out the last two games after doctors removed a non-cancerous mass from his shoulder. Houston's 31 sacks allowed so far this season are tied for the second most in the NFL.
The Lions will not have starting left tackle Taylor Decker for tonight's matchup against a very good Texans pass rush. He injured his shoulder in practice Thursday, missed practice Friday and is inactive tonight. It's unclear if Detroit will move right tackle Penei Sewell to left tackle or insert swing tackle Dan Skipper at left tackle.
Also inactive for the Lions tonight is linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, who will miss his second straight game with an ankle injury, safety Loren Strickland and offensive linemen Colby Sorsdal, Christian Mahogany and Giovanni Manu.
