Behind the Steel Curtain
A short-lived stint for the trade deadline acquisition
The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially released veteran linebacker Preston Smith, the team announced Friday evening. Preston, 32, was acquired from the Green Bay Packers at the 2024 NFL trade deadline in November in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He didn’t exceed 40% of offensive snaps in any of his eight games with the Steelers, having recorded two sacks, 13 combined tackles and 3 tackles for a loss.
Smith’s contract, originally signed with the Packers, was set through the 2026 NFL season. Per Spotrac, Smith’s pre-June 1 release will earn the team $13.4 million in cap savings for the 2025 NFL season with $0 in dead cap moving forward.
