The Steelers are not done on the trade front. Edge rusher Preston Smith is being added from the Packers, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
[RELATED: Steelers Add Mike Williams From Jets]
With the Packers fielding 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, operating as a full-time starter during that span. A heavy workload should not await him in Pittsburgh, but he will be able to step into a key rotational role. Pittsburgh is sending along a 2025 seventh-round pick, per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
Smith reached an 80% snap share twice during his Packers tenure, but over the past two years he has seen his playing time decrease. The former second-rounder still managed to handle more than half of the team’s defensive snaps in 2024, though. With Rashan Gary in place for the long term along with recent draftees Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare, Smith found himself on the trade block leading up to today’s deadline.
The Steelers already boast one of the league’s top edge rush tandems with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. Watt has one year remaining on his pact after this one, while Highsmith landed a four-year extension last summer; he is on the books through 2027 as a result. Smith will operate as the team’s OLB3 behind that pair, one which has combined for 9.5 sacks this season.
On the whole, though, the Steelers have not been as impactful in terms of sack production (19, 22nd in the NFL) in 2024 as they have 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 remainder of the campaign. He is not a pure rental, however; the Mississippi State product is under contract for 2025 and ’26.
Smith is owed a total of $27.5MM over that span, and he is currently on track to carry cap hits of $17.5 and $18.2MM across the next two years. As a result, it could come as no surprise if team and player were to work out a restructure at some point relatively soon. For the time being, attention will be placed on Smith’s ability to add to a defense which already ranks top-1o in both points and yards allowed per game.
Sitting at 6-2 on the year, Pittsburgh currently leads the AFC North. That left the team as a clear buyer ahead of the deadline, and general manager Omar Khan has not been shy about adding via trade during his tenure at the helm. It will be interesting to see how this latest move contributes to the Steelers’ postseason push.
Whoa… so he really isn’t having a good year, but did not see this coming.
Steelers are all in unlike Dallas lmao
Take the dead cap hit this year instead of next year…only reason to make this move
Business is business
link to x.com
nearly 10m next year, 18m in 2026
Wow, the Steelers are all in on 2024. Preston Smith is a good additional piece, not a bad move (depending on price).
Reportedly a 7th.
7th round pick for Preston Smith? Can’t have too many pass rushers in a conference with Lamar/JA17 and Mahomes.
Excellent deal by Omar.
Meh. P is 32 and not a DE. He’s a stand up OLB who was not fitting in as 2nd wheel in the 43 system Hafley is running. GB would have cut him after this year anyway. Good luck to him. He’s been a good Packers for a long time!
Couldn’t we have saved the 7th round pick and asked JJ to come out of retirement to play with his brother?
Didn’t they basically beg him to do that before he announced his retirement? If he wasn’t willing to do it then, don’t know why he’d change his mind now (or his wife, who I believe he said was a factor in the decision to call it quits).
A+ move. He’s a huge help both now and even once Herbig returns.
Could have used a stud D-lineman as running backs go through this line like water, but agreed
They sure can, but something tells me they still might be able to find one on a practice squad or waivers who can help.
What would that something be? Not many students defensive lineman are sitting on someone’s practice squad
Three names who got released today: Quinton Jefferson, Jordan Phillips, Lawrence Guy. None of them are quick fixes or stars, but all of them could conceivably be decent defensive line depth .
Apparently not
Ravens add Johnson and White. Steelers get Williams and Smith. Advantage Pittsburgh.
I think it was mentioned..he wasn’t really fitting in the new system with GB. 7th rounder seems a bit light to me, with the reported interest in him. I guess that wasn’t quite the case.
Is he a good fit with Pitt? I thought they had Watt and..Highsmith is it..? Or is he more injury insurance/depth than a regular?
It’s depth. He’s this year’s Markus Golden. He can rotate in and keep Watt and Highsmith more fresh. He’s also another great mentor for Nick Herbig.
He’s a bit more than Golden, but that’s a valid point. It’s ironic that they listed a stat against the Giants that noted that the Steelers don’t blitz often. In the age of the “edge rusher” it’s one of those stats that is misleading. But if nothing else this year, the linebacker corps with the addition of Queen has allowed Minkah to be more of the Polamalu/‘monster back’ they always envisioned him as. Adding this guy only ensures that same pressure on the QB
And it seems Herbig is ready too
He’s capable but don’t pretend he is going to be a game breaker. The guy is a solid rotation piece. Zero pro bowl, zero 2nd team all pro, zero first team all pro selections. He stays healthy and can rush the passer in situations and for a 7th it is a good move for depth, but this is say the equivalent of trading for Mike Williams in 2024 but for edge rushers.