Where Do Things Now Stand Between Lions and Za'Darius Smith?

The Detroit Lions remain in contact with veteran free agent defensive end Za'Darius Smith.

After acquiring Smith in a trade with the Cleveland Browns at last year's deadline, the Lions leaned on the veteran to be a key part of their pass rush over the final eight games of the regular season. With the defense dealing with several injuries to key players, Smith provided four sacks in his stint with the Lions.

Ahead of the start of free agency, Smith was released by the Lions in a maneuver that allowed them to generate cap space. General manager Brad Holmes said at the annual league meetings that there remained interest in a potential reunion from the team's perspective.

With the calendar turned to August, Smith remains a free agent. The veteran has also made his interest in returning to Detroit public, telling reporters that he hoped to return during a recent awards show.

Speaking with 97.1 The Ticket on Wednesday, Holmes stated that the two sides have been keeping in touch though no deal has been reached.

The general manager acknowledged that Smith, as a veteran, wouldn't be hurt by missing training camp time as much as a younger player. He also noted that the negotiations are a two-way street, meaning that both sides have expectations.

"Za'Darius did a lot of good things last year for us and we said we're gonna keep in contact with his agent, but everything's not just one-sided," Holmes said. "Za'Darius has expectations, the team has expectations. So sometimes it takes a while for those things to get on the same page, especially a guy that's been in the league as long as he has. I'm not saying he doesn't want to be in training camp, but if he misses some time — there's obviously some interest there, and we've been keeping in touch."