Packers to trade Preston Smith to Steelers

The Steelers aren’t done on the trade front. Edge rushes Preston Smith being added from the Packers, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

As the Packers field a number of younger options on both sides of the ball, Smith has remained in place as one of the team’s elder statesmen. The soon-to-be 32-year-old has been with Green Bay since 2019, serving as a full-time starter during that time. A heavy workload shouldn’t await him in Pittsburgh, but he’ll be able to step into a central rotation role. Pittsburgh sends a seventh-round pick in 2025, according to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.

Smith reached an 80% snap share twice during his Packers tenure, but over the past two years has seen his playing time decline. However, the former second-rounder still managed to handle more than half of the team’s defensive snaps in 2024. With Rashan Gary in place for the long term alongside recent graduates Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley EnagbareHowever, Smith was on the trade block until today’s deadline.

The Steelers already boast one of the league’s top edges running alongside TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. Watt has a year left on his deal after this one, while Highsmith landed a four-year extension last summer; he is on the books through 2027 as a result. Smith will serve as the team’s OLB3 behind this pair, one who has combined for 9.5 sacks this season.

Overall, though, the Steelers haven’t been as impactful in terms of sack production (19th, 22nd in NFL) in 2024 as they have been in recent years. Smith – who has topped eight sacks six times in his career – will aim to provide veteran depth on that front for at least the rest of the campaign. However, he is not a mere rental; The Mississippi State product is under contract for 2025 and ’26.

Smith is owed a total of $27.5MM over that span and is currently on track to carry a cap hit of $17.5 and $18.2MM over the next two years. As a result, it could come as no surprise if team and player were to make a restructuring at some point relatively quickly. For now, the focus will be on Smith’s ability to add to a defense that is already top-10 in both points and yards allowed per game. match.

More on the way…