A report emerged earlier today (herecoincidentally) that a trade of Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the Lions was expected to happen either tonight or tomorrow.

After Cleveland’s loss to the Chargers, coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the report.

“I don’t have any comment on that kind of stuff,” Stefanski told reporters.

Smith quickly left the locker room. without talking to journalists. Which can be interpreted as you see fit.

His teammate Myles Garrett had nothing to add on the matter.

“I have no idea,” Garrett told reporters. “I don’t look at rumors or trade rumors. I’m focused on my job here and getting this team out of the hole we’re in and keeping these guys together. “All the talk outside of this team has nothing to do with me or us.”

Cornerback Denzel Ward praised Smith.

“Za’Darius is an incredible teammate,” Ward said. “A captain of this team, a leader of this team and a playmaker on the field. I love having Za’Darius on the field. One of my favorite additions to the team when he arrived. He is a great player and a great guy in the locker room. I definitely appreciate Za’Darius. The player that he is and the guy that he is.”

The deal is not done, and no deal is done until it is done. But today everything pointed in that direction. And Smith has said he would like to go to Detroit because it would give him a chance to compete with two of his former teams: the Packers and the Vikings.

Still, if another team comes in with a better offer, Smith could end up elsewhere. At this point, it seems unlikely that he will be with the Browns when Tuesday night rolls around.