Smith only played in Pittsburgh for a half-season after being traded from Green Bay.
Preston Smith, an edge defender for the Green Bay Packers, was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, and the team acknowledged his departure. As a veteran, Smith is free to re-sign with any team he wants and is not susceptible to waivers.
Smith, a former second-round choice, inked a four-year, $52 million contract with the Packers in the 2019 offseason after starting his career with the Washington Redskins. He shared time with Rashan Gary and Za’Darius Smith in Green Bay. He appeared in 91 games overall, including 88 starts, and recorded 44 sacks with the Packers.
Smith was traded to the Steelers by Green Bay at the trade deadline. The Steelers play the 3-4 defence that Smith was most accustomed to from his days in Washington and the Packers before Jeff Hafley. After the trade, Smith played for Pittsburgh in every game but one of the regular season, but he was a healthy scratch during the Steelers’ playoff defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Packers saved almost $2 million in game checks by making the in-season trade, which the Steelers used to pay Smith for the rest of the 2024 season. According to Tankathon, they also obtained a seventh-round pick, which is anticipated to be the 239th pick in the draft.
In addition to a compensation selection that should be awarded to Green Bay for losing tackle Yosh Nijman to the Carolina Panthers in free agency, the team is anticipated to own two seventh-round picks. The Tennessee Titans received the Packers’ initial seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft in exchange for quarterback Malik Willis, hence the Packers do not possess it.
Leave a Reply