Steelers Have An Easy Out From Preston Smith's Daunting Contract After The 2024 Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been mentioned in various trade rumors for the past eight months, and now General Manager Omar Khan has finally started to make some moves. He traded for the New York Jets' Mike Williams on Tuesday right before acquiring Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers. This filled two holes that the Steelers needed to address which were wide receiver and some depth along the defensive line. The Steelers gave up some draft capital, but Khan has set his team up to make a run in the second half of the regular season.

These are the types of trades that team's make when they believe they are serious contenders. Khan sought out impactful players on both sides of the ball, and he got them. Fans immediately think about the draft capital given up, or the contract that has been taken on by the organization. In this case, Williams is only signed through the end of the 2024 season and he will become a free agent once the season ends. Smith however, is signed through the 2026 season.

Some fans were worried about Smith's contract and the fact that the Steelers may be on the hook for a lot of money, but that is not the case. Pittsburgh will owe Smith just under $2 million for the 2024 season, and his contract in 2025 and 2026 is non-guaranteed.

Green Bay will be responsible for some money due to Smith in 2024 and 2025, but the Steelers realistically only need to worry about the $1.6 million that Smith is owed in 2024. If he doesn't produce in the second half of the season, or the fit just isn't what Pittsburgh thought it would be, they could move on from the veteran defender following the season without much trouble.

The financials of this trade are great for Pittsburgh, especially when it is taken into consideration that the organization only gave up a seventh-round pick for Smith. Smith has nearly 70 sacks in his career, and should be able to add to the quality pass rush for the Steelers.

Khan has done a good job on the financial side of the trades he made at the deadline. Williams is owed less than $700,000 and the Steelers are not committed to him past the 2024 season. It's similar to the situation with Smith. After the season ends, Pittsburgh can decide whether or not they want to try and sign Williams to a new deal. Both players' futures in Pittsburgh likely hinge on their performance in the second half of the regular season, and hopefully the postseason.

Steelers' Omar Khan Has A Few Contracts To Consider Moving Forward

Pittsburgh has a few pending free agents that have made quite the impact for the team in 2024. Najee Harris will be a free agent after the 2024 season thanks to the organization declining his fifth-year option. Neither Russell Wilson or Justin Fields are signed past the 2024 season, so that will be an important decision to make during the 2025 offseason as well. All three of these players could command a lot of money, especially if they make it all the way to free agency. Pittsburgh likely won't keep both quarterbacks, but both of them could command near $30 million a year. 

These contracts are critical to bring up when speaking about the future of the Steelers. Thankfully, Khan didn't put the organization in a bad spot financially with either trade he made as the deadline approached.

What did you think of the two trades for the Steelers on Tuesday? Let us know in the comments below!

#SteelerNation