The Pittsburgh Steelers bolstered their EDGE depth by acquiring Preston Smith from the Green Bay Packers at the 2024 trade deadline. Smith served as a backup, contributing two sacks and 13 total tackles in 161 snaps. The Steelers opted not to bring Smith back this offseason, and after Week 2, he finally has a new home. [Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler](https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/1968292001037898219), Smith is signing with the Washington Commanders.
It’s a reunion for Smith, who began his career in Washington and played with the team from 2015-2018. The Commanders recently lost EDGE Deatrich Wise Jr. to a season-ending injury, and Smith can help bolster the team’s pass rush. After losing Dante Fowler Jr. this offseason, the Commanders brought in Wise and Von Miller, but with Wise out for the season, Washington needs more help. Smith can provide depth behind Miller or Dorance Armstrong in an EDGE room that also has Javontae Jean-Baptiste and Jacob Martin.
Prior to being traded to Pittsburgh, Smith spent five-and-a-half seasons with the Green Bay Packers after leaving Washington. For his NFL career, he’s tallied 70.5 sacks and 74 tackles for a loss.
The Steelers opted to get younger at outside linebacker, drafting Jack Sawyer to serve as their fourth outside linebacker, but some additional depth would be nice to have right now. OLB Nick Herbig missed Week 1 with a hamstring injury and Alex Highsmith exited Week 2 early and is slated to miss Week 3 with an ankle injury. The Steelers [worked out a few young EDGE rushers](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/09/steelers-work-out-10-players-host-veteran-lb-jawhaun-bentley-for-visit-tuesday/) on Wednesday, but with Sawyer picking up his first career sack in Week 2, the Steelers seem confident in him as their No. 3 for now.
It’s a good chance for Smith to contribute to a team that looks to be contending this season. The Commanders made a run to the NFC Championship Game last season and are 1-1 early in the 2025 season. It might take Smith some time to ramp-up, but he should wind up being a contributor for the Commanders in a place he’s familiar with.