About an hour and a half before the NFL Trade Deadline on Tuesday afternoon, the Packers traded LB Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for a 7th round pick. The trade officially marks the end of the “Smith Brothers” era in Green Bay. Preston Smith spent five and a half years with the Packers. During his time with the team, Smith became a fan favorite but ultimately this trade made sense for both Green Bay and Preston Smith.
It was reported a few weeks ago that the Packers were fielding calls for Preston Smith. Although, since the Packers pass rush has been subpar and rather inconsistent in 2024, many believed the Packers would keep Smith and even possibly add a pass rusher. The Packers did quite the opposite but the writing was on the wall. His snap counts dropped significantly on Sunday against Detroit. In fact, Smith has only played 53.7% of the total defensive snaps this season.
It was reported on Wednesday that Preston Smith requested a trade. It is believed that was due to Smith struggling to fit into Hafley’s 4-3 scheme. This should not come as a surprise. This was a concern from the beginning of training camp. Smith is true outside linebacker who excels at rushing the passer from a two point stance. Given the fact that he turns 32 on November 17th and is playing in his 10th NFL season, expecting him to change his play style is a big time ask.
Reflecting on Preston Smith’s Time in Green Bay
Preston Smith departs from Green Bay half through his sixth season with the organization. The Packers signed Smith during the 2019 offseason. During his time in Green Bay, Smith totaled 44 sacks, 240 QB pressures, and 262 total tackles. It is safe to say that Packers GM Brian Gutekunst nailed this signing. Smith not only contributed on the field but he was a consistent locker room presence.
Preston Smith was beloved by his teammates. When Smith first arrived in Green Bay, former Packers QB Aaron Rodgers praised Smith for the kind of teammate that he is. As the Packers made the shift from Rodgers to Love, the team got younger. Green Bay made the decision to move on from several key but older players. Despite that, Smith continued to be a great teammate. Smith evolved into a veteran mentor and leader for this young Packers team. In fact, when Rashon Gary was cleared to return from his ACL injury in the summer of 2023, Smith said, “I was just ecstatic to find out I was going to have my brother back because he is like a little brother to me.”
As Packer fans begin to prepare for life without either of the Smith Brothers, the decision to trade Preston Smith was the correct one. Fortunately, this was not a bitter ending to a fan favorite’s time in Green Bay. Packer Nation will surely miss the joint interviews between Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith but oh, what a time it was and what a signing Preston Smith was! Cheers to Preston Smith and cheers to the next chapter of young, upcoming Packer players!
