The Pittsburgh Steelers did not stand pat at the deadline like most of Steeler Nation feared that they might. They made a wide receiver deal like the fan base wanted them to since March, but they also made a shocking move to acquire Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers for just a seventh-round pick. The Steelers are already well-off at edge rusher, so the deal did not make much sense at first. That move was on nobody’s radar at all, except Smith’s.
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Preston Smith rushing the passer during a road game for the Green Bay Packers
After his first practice in Pittsburgh, Smith spoke with the media and explained that he requested a trade and got sent to the exact situation that he wanted.
Preston Smith said he requested a trade from Green Bay. After the Packers switched from a 3-4 to a 4-3 he wanted to go to a system that fit his skillset better.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) November 6, 2024
“I got what I asked for.”
After firing Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry, they hired Jeff Hafley from the Boston College Golden Eagles. While his 4-3 method has benefitted Green Bay overall, it has not worked well for Smith. It made sense for both team and player to move on, even though the Packers were only able to get a minimal return from it.
Throughout the 2024 season with the Packers, Smith had 19 total tackles, along with 2.5 sacks, four quarterback hits, and a pair of tackles for loss. Most of those numbers are on pace to be career lows for the veteran linebacker, and while there are many factors that play in a part in that, Hafley's scheme has not helped with that in the slightest.
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Steelers' TJ Watt celebrates after his helmet came off while sacking Dak Prescott in 2024.
The Steelers have always been primarily a 3-4 team under Head Coach Mike Tomlin, and that’s not expected to change anytime soon. That style has helped TJ Watt be the absolute game-wrecker on the edge, so why go away from the strength of the team? That elite defense has kept the Steelers above water since 2019.
Smith will not be expected to be a starter on this defensive line. With Watt and Alex Highsmith dominating opposing offensive tackles on a regular basis, there is not much room for anyone else to get regular snaps barring injury. They just need a capable body to come in and continue to put pressure on the quarterback when either of them takes a breather on the sidelines.
Steelers' Scheme Should Help Smith Soar Again
Being a depth piece on the edge is not a bad job to have for the Steelers. Markus Golden managed to get four sacks and a fumble recovery on just 22% of defensive snaps in his lone season in Pittsburgh. If he can do that as the fourth edge rusher, imagine what Smith can do with more reps as Nick Herbig tries to come back from injury.
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Steelers' Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig stand on the sideline during the national anthem.
With the edge rusher group being depleted throughout the season, guys like Jeremiah Moon and Ade Ogundeji saw lots of playing time to try and fill in. Clearly, the Steelers were not big fans of what they saw out of those two, which is why they went out and got more depth in Smith. There is never anything wrong with a little extra depth.
The Packers are eating the signing bonus and Smith has no more guaranteed money after the 2024 season, so he would be a prime candidate to be a cap casualty if necessary. Trading away a seventh-round pick for cheap, high-quality depth for nine games is not a bad move at all, and it sounds like Smith could not be happier to be in this scenario with Pittsburgh. Even if he gets cut, this is a perfect chance for him to prove that he's still great in a 3-4 defense.
What do you think of Smith requesting a trade out of Green Bay and landing exactly where he wanted to? Let us know in the comments.
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