Hawthorn great Jordan Lewis has suggested former teammate Isaac Smith would benefit a move to Carlton in the upcoming free agency period.

The Blues' finals hopes were crushed on Sunday after a 16-point loss to cellar-dwellers Adelaide ended their chances of a top eight finish.

Speaking on SEN, Lewis looked to be a match-maker for Smith and Calrton, suggesting the move would work well for both parties.

โ€œTheyโ€™ve got talent and they just need to show improvement,โ€ he said.

โ€œThey need to add maybe a few players to their list, you think of someone like (Hawthorn's) Isaac Smith who has that outside run would suit them really nicely.

โ€œBut I do think thereโ€™s been improvement (this year at Carlton).โ€

The Blues have given up 30 unanswered points in 17 of David Teague's 27 games in charge, with Lewis starting their must overcome the ongoing issue to become a great side.

โ€œWhere they fall away (in games) is situation stuff,โ€ he said.

โ€œGood sides, and when you have the ability to train during the year, can train situations that may pop up in the game. They havenโ€™t had time to do that (because of COVID training restrictions), they have a young list and a new coach who would want to put his players in positions that they might find themselves in games.

โ€œItโ€™s hard and been a very difficult year to practice that but you rely on your leaders (like) Patrick Cripps to will your side over the line but when you give up a lead like they did against Adelaide, itโ€™s just too much to pull back in a shortened game.โ€

The Blues sit at 7-9 after their penultimate game as they look ahead to their clash with Brisbane in round 18.