Preston Smith: Everything you need to know

Smith (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Raiders. Smith was released by the Steelers in February and was without a team until inking a deal with the Commanders on Tuesday. He's a healthy scratch for Week 3, but he should have enough time to learn the playbook and be available for Week 4 against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 28.

The Steelers released Smith on Friday. Smith began last season with Green Bay before he was traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick in early November. The veteran pass rusher recorded a sack in his first game with the Steelers in Week 10 but didn't notch another one until Week 18. Smith generally underperformed during his half season with Pittsburgh to the extent that he was a healthy scratch for the team's wild-card loss to Baltimore. By parting ways with Smith, the Steelers will clear $12 million in cap space for next season, per Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Smith tallied 32 total tackles (12 solo), including 4.5 sacks, over 17 regular-season games with the Packers and Steelers in 2024. Smith was traded from the Packers to the Steelers in early November, but he was actually more productive during his time in Green Bay. The veteran pass rusher recorded six more tackles and 0.5 more sacks as a Packer, playing 138 additional defensive snaps despite appearing in only one more game. Smith's time in Pittsburgh may also be nearing an end, as he was a healthy scratch in two of the team's final three games this season. However, Smith remains under contract through 2026, so he could very well stay in Pittsburgh and serve as a rotational edge rusher next season.