The Pittsburgh Steelers made a move ahead of the start of free agency. A veteran linebacker will now look for somewhere else to play next month.
Former second-round pick Preston Smith will hit the market next month. The Steelers cut Smith ahead of free agency after acquiring him in the middle of last season. Thus, it ends a short tenure for him in western Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh announced the move on Friday afternoon.
“We have released LB Preston Smith,” the team said.
The Steelers acquired Smith from the Green Bay Packers during the 2024 season. In eight games with Pittsburgh, Smith racked up 13 tackles and 2.0 sacks with as many hits. But as it turns out, his stint in western PA was not for long.
Smith will likely attract a market this free agency. Teams are always chasing aftaer as many pass-rushers as they can. Smith has shown an ability to get to the quarterback in his career. He has 70.5 career sacks since he entered the NFL in 2015. He’s played for the Steelers, the Packers, and Washington under their previous designation.
Smith had 44.0 career sacks with the Packers, who he played with for six seasons.
Time will tell to see where Smith lands. It’s going to be a busy offseason in the NFL. There are plenty of potential trades and moves that could rock the league and send it for a much-needed loop. Expect things to heat up next month.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022