According to Tony Pauline of Sportskeedia, the Pittsburgh Steelers are expected to release outside linebacker Preston Smith. After speaking with multiple sources, Pauline believes Smith is almost certain to be let go due to the structure of his contract.
“I was informed on Tuesday by those close to the situation that Preston Smith will be a cap casualty and is likely to be cut by the Steelers,” Pauline reported. “Smith, a nine-year veteran, signed a four-year, $52 million deal with the Green Bay Packers in 2022, before being traded to the Steelers in November for a seventh-round pick. With his cap hit projected to be around $27.5 million for the final two years of the deal, I’d say there’s a 99% chance he’s cut.”
Smith’s large contract, with salaries of $13.4 million and $14.1 million in the next two seasons, makes his future uncertain. However, the Steelers would save significant cap space by cutting him, with no dead money due to the lack of guarantees in his contract.
Despite being 31, Smith is still a productive player, registering 8 sacks in 2023 and maintaining a consistent performance with no fewer than eight sacks since 2020. The Steelers have depth at edge rusher, and while there’s a chance he could return on a restructured deal, Smith is likely to explore free agency after his release, where other teams may be interested in signing him.
