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,

After he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the NFL deadline, Preston Smith explained why he requested a trade from the Green Bay Packers.

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.