The Pittsburgh Steelers made the expected acquisition of a veteran receiver ahead of the NFL's trade deadline, trading for former New York Jets wideout Mike Williams. Pittsburgh then surprised many when they traded for former Green Bay Packers edge rusher Preston Smith,

Former Packers’ OLB Preston Smith’s unexpected trade to the Steelers adds valuable depth to the defense, and was surprising to fans alike.

Smith was an outside linebacker for most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, who ran a 3-4 defensive scheme until a coaching change in 2024. Six times in 10 seasons, Smith has recorded at least eight sacks, including a career-high 12 in 2019. In 2023, Smith had 48 tackles and eight sacks.