Ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, the Green Bay Packers made a deal sending veteran offensive tackle Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick. The move gained clarity after Smith revealed he requested a trade a few weeks ago, citing a desire to return to a 3-4 defense.
“This is what I’ve been playing for the last nine years of my career, up until last season,” Smith said during his first media appearance in Pittsburgh. “It’s something I feel comfortable playing, something I’m used to. Just getting back into the system is like riding your favorite bike again.”
Preston Smith is elated to be a Steeler. He says he asked the Packers for a trade a few weeks ago pic.twitter.com/P3cFHVw43w
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) November 6, 2024
Smith, who arrived in Green Bay as a free agent in 2019, spent his first five seasons in a 3-4 defense under Mike Pettine and Joe Barry. During that span, Smith totaled 41.5 sacks, including a season-high 12 sacks in Year 1. However, after many years in which the defense failed to meet expectations, head coach Matt LaFleur decided to switch to a 4-3 formation, hiring Jeff Hafley. . Through the first nine games of the regular season, Smith struggled to make much of an impact, recording just 2.5 sacks and 10 pressures.
As a result of the decline in numbers, Smith’s role in defense began to diminish. He logged just 21 defensive snaps in Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, his lowest total in an injury-free game since his rookie season.
Now Smith is looking to contribute to the development of a Steelers team that currently sits in first place in the AFC North with a 6-2 record. The soon-to-be 32-year-old veteran said he plans to play in Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
Meanwhile, the Packers will turn to Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox Jr. to support fill the void left by Smith. While the transfer could come back to hurt the team if guys get injured, general manager Brian Gutekunst said he’s excited to see what the team can accomplish in the second half of the season.
“Any time you leave a player like Preston Smith, you’re a few injuries away from saying, ‘Man, maybe that wasn’t the best solution,’” Gutekunst said. “But at the same time, I really like our depth. We have to continue to come together as a football team and play better at times, but we’re 6-3 and I think we’re in a good position. I’m excited for the second half of the season and seeing how these guys develop together.”
