Wow. For the second year in a row, the Green Bay Packers have traded away a veteran defender before the deadline.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Packers are sending edge-rusher Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Smith's name has been included in trade rumors for weeks, and now general manager Brian Gutekunst has found a trade partner.
It raises questions about the Packers' pass rush, a unit that has struggled with Smith. Could Green Bay make a late push for New York Giants linebacker Azeez Ojulari? New York's rumored asking price makes it a tempting option for the Packers.
Packers surprisingly trade Preston Smith to Steelers: Full details and grade
Grade: B
Here are the full trade details, per The Athletic's Matt Schneidman:
On the surface, it may look like the Packers gave away Smith for nothing, but one has to assume this was a financially driven move. They will receive a seventh-rounder in return.
While it may slightly hurt the Packers' pass rush in the short term, this is a smart, forward-thinking move by Gutekunst. Smith's cap hits rise to $17.51 million in 2025 and $18.21 million in 2026, which is too steep to pay for a player whose role is decreasing. Smith has 2.5 sacks this season, two of which came in the Packers' eight-sack performance against the Tennessee Titans.
Smith played fewer snaps than Kingsley Enagbare and Lukas Van Ness in the Packers' loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 9, only adding further speculation to his uncertain future. Now, Green Bay moves forward without its veteran pass-rusher.
What's next? That's the question Gutekunst must answer.
Fans will have every right to feel frustrated if dealing Smith is the only trade to get over the line at 1265 Lombardi Ave before the deadline, regardless of the financial impact. If the Packers push forward and acquire another pass-rusher like Ojulari, the Smith move will become a home run.
For now, it deserves a B grade. Trading Smith isn't a season-ruining loss. While he is a solid player and a leader in the locker room, his production (and snap counts) continue to decline. Green Bay has to hope Enagbare and Van Ness can fill the void, but a deadline-day move for another pass-rusher could help Jeff Hafley's defense actually improve despite losing Smith.
In the meantime, we can only thank Smith for his contributions during his five-plus-year stay in Green Bay.