The Pittsburgh Steelers released veteran edge defender Preston Smith on Friday in a move that was expected because of Smith’s impending $13.4 million salary cap hit for 2025.

Acquired in a trade-deadline deal from the Green Bay Packers in early November, Smith teamed with Nick Herbig to serve as backups to outside linebackers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith the rest of the season. Smith had two sacks, 13 tackles (six solo, three for loss) and a fumble recovery while playing 30% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps in the eight games he played.

But Smith was inactive for the Christmas Day loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and for the Steelers’ playoff defeat at the Baltimore Ravens.

A 32-year-old, 10-season veteran, Smith has 70 1/2 career sacks. Acquired for a seventh-round draft pick, Smith had been unhappy with his role in Green Bay.

Jeremiah Moon, a pending exclusive-rights free agent, remains with the Steelers as their fourth outside linebacker.

The move leaves the Steelers with just more than $50 million in salary cap space for the upcoming free agency season. That ranks among the top 10 most in the NFL.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)