Age, production, the young talent behind him on the depth chart and recent snap counts all made Preston Smith a potential trade candidate for the Green Bay Packers, and a deal was made before Tuesday’s trade deadline in the NFL.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Packers are trading Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.
Per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers are getting a seventh-round pick in return for Smith.
The Packers are 6-3 and a contender in the NFC, making a sale at the deadline questionable. But Smith turns 32 years old later this month and has just 10 pressures in nine games, and the Packers have been playing Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare more and more at defensive end opposite Rashan Gary.
With Smith in Pittsburgh, the Packers can also start adding Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox Jr. into the pass-rushing rotation.
Last week, Smith played fewer snaps than both Van Ness and Enagbare, and Mosby — who had a half-sack — made his debut at defensive end. Smith played only five snaps as a pass-rusher.
The move doesn’t come without risk. Edge rusher is a premium position, and the Packers just willingly reduce their depth at defensive end. Smith is also a respected leader inside Green Bay’s increasingly young locker room. Any kind of injury at defensive end or turmoil internally could make Smith’s absence a big one over the final two months of the season.
However, the Packers need Van Ness to develop on the field, and Smith — given his age and cost for next season — wasn’t likely to be around come 2025.
For the second consecutive season, the Packers have traded a veteran defender. Last season, Green Bay sent cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills at the deadline.
Smith was signed by the Packers as a free agent in 2019. He produced 44.0 sacks and 96 quarterback hits over six seasons and 91 games in Green Bay.
