The Bucs & Preston Smith
February 14th, 2025
An established edge rusher just hit the street.
That means chaos erupted in the beer-stained conference room at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
The interns are chilling beer and trying to keep Joe from hyperventilating.
Today the Steelers cut veteran outside linebacker Preston Smith. The former Packers stud turns 33 in November and he’s coming off an interesting 4 1/2-sack season.
Pittsburgh traded for Smith at last year’s November trade deadline, but by year’s end, Smith was on the bench behind dudes who recovered from injuries. He was inactive in Week 17 and for the playoffs.
Smiths’ claim to fame in his 10-year career? In addition to 70 1/2 sacks (plus 4 1/2 in the postseason), Smith has never missed a game with an injury.
Joe sees Steelers fans on social media a little perplexed by the cost-cutting move. He was going to hit the Steelers salary cap next season for more than $13 million.
Joe is in favor of any edge rusher like Smith that appears more lethal than Bucs outside linebackers like Markees Watts, José Ramirez, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Anthony Nelson.
February 14th, 2025 at 7:28 pm
Like Joe, I am positive that Preston Smith would be an upgrade over JTS or any of the other OLBs which Joe mentioned above but at 33 he would simply be a band-aid and the Bucs will be back to square one in a season or so even if he contributes positively. Plus, defensively, the Steelers seem to be a pretty solid unit, there has to be a reason why they are parting ways with Smith, is it just to open up salary cap or did the guy hit the wall? Nonetheless, the Bucs need to do something.
February 14th, 2025 at 7:36 pm
Preston Smith got released for a reason and that reason is, he’s past his prime. Bucs should look elsewhere for pass rush help.
February 14th, 2025 at 7:42 pm
NOPE!
February 14th, 2025 at 7:45 pm
Put another quarter into the “edge rusher” jar.
February 14th, 2025 at 7:46 pm
Never heard of him he must s__k.
February 14th, 2025 at 8:01 pm
Best news about this is maybe it’s foreshadowing more cap cuts to come – Pat Kiirwan already told a Green Bay fan to pass and go young – patience Joe
February 14th, 2025 at 8:05 pm
Pass on Preston Smith. This has turned from begging to groveling Joe.
Within the DLine, Bucs have OLBs Diaby & Braswell under contract in addition to DT/DEs Vea, Kancey, Greene, Stille. OLBs Nelson, JTS & Shaq are UFAs, as are DT/DEs Gaines, Gholston, Brewer & Banks. We’ll probably keep 10-11 players as DT/DE/OLBs on our 53-man roster.
Vea, Kancey, Diaby & Braswell are a good start (all under contract). Re-signing Gaines & Nelson gets us up to 6, plus we’ll probably keep 2 inexpensive players familiar with the system, Brewer & Shaq or JTS. I can see us adding 2 new faces though: 1 in the draft & another in free agency. Would love for one of those to be one beastly DT like Vea to bring pressure in the interior (like Suh used to do), and another to be a beastly OLB/DE to bring pressure from the edge (like JPP used to do).
February 14th, 2025 at 8:26 pm
February 14th, 2025 at 8:35 pm
If JTS is on this team next year I’ll root for the Jaguars
February 14th, 2025 at 8:38 pm
Meh only if he will play for league minimum on a veteran salary as more of a rotational player. Lots of needs on defense. LB 1 maybe 2 depending on what David does. Pass Rusher and CB. When is Dean getting released
February 14th, 2025 at 8:48 pm
“This has turned from begging to groveling Joe”. Good one DR! And when it’s so simple! Just get another Suh and JPP. Another Good one DR!
February 14th, 2025 at 9:15 pm
Not every LB can play at the top being that old (I’m old) except LVD.
February 14th, 2025 at 9:19 pm
The Bucs need two edge rushers. The only way they win the SB is fixing the D line. If they don’t address the edge, it’s a lost season. Add this dude and Josh Sweat. Bam!
February 14th, 2025 at 9:35 pm
He would be a welcomed addition.
February 14th, 2025 at 9:53 pm
Everybody is justifiably looking forward to the OL next year because of it’s youth and improvement. It only seems normal to think this young group is going to get better.
But in addition to the new improved OL are a “franchise QB” a potential star RB another excellent all around RB and a 3rd RB who has flashed. The WR corps will be excellent even if CG14 leaves, obviously better if he stays. And the TE group is good with potential for even more growth.
Bottom line we’re all looking for leadership from a PHYSICAL improved OL.
As D.R. pointed out…
Within the DLine, Bucs have OLBs Diaby & Braswell under contract in addition to DT/DEs Vea, Kancey, Greene,?
Vea is obviously a stud,Kancey is an IMPROVING stud do we know his true ceiling yet. What if he has an entire season healthy? Then there’s YaYa who seems to be getting it and HOPEFULLY Braswell gets it this year as well.
The team already was 7th in sacks! And finished well in QB hurries. IE Just like the OL the DL is growing and can get better!!! So what if the Bucs get from 7th to top three in rushing.
DW45 completed the package for the last Bucs SB. If Jihad or some other awesome hybrid super fast ILB emerges and the Bucs draft him. There is your ONE player that could make a quick difference.
Another Cover corner who was SMART enough to learn the nuances of Todd’s D plus have a pair hands that can actually catch ints. There’s another player who could make a real difference.
The team is very good already! A D draft this year as successful as the draft was for the O would be huge. Find another Bucky, Barton, and JMAC for the D!
“Patience Grasshoppers!” From the ’70’s Kung Fu TV show.
February 14th, 2025 at 9:54 pm
“rushing the passer”.
February 14th, 2025 at 10:03 pm
The Bucs might have been 7th in sacks, but how many 3rd and way long, 10+ yds, did they give up?
Sacks are considered “drive killers,” but to last season’s defense they were just minor speed bumps…
February 14th, 2025 at 10:04 pm
Let’s indulge in some roster fantasy football. LVD, his buddy Bobby Wagner, and Khalil Mack can all be had for $18 to $20 M. Use the draft picks on D backfield and it’s time to fire the cannons!!!
February 14th, 2025 at 10:09 pm
Cobra
I take your point but am not sure about the cause. The Bucs were 7th in sacks, and good in QB hurries and yet as you point out 3rd and longs completed against the D.
Could that possibly be the abscence of a Star FS…any decent safety play, one ILB and another who can stop the run and nothing else, and young OLB’s who are still learning the coverage intricacies of Todd’s D?
D.R. mentioned a great point as well…how many “coverage sacks” did the Bucs get?
February 14th, 2025 at 10:34 pm
Meh, 33. I’d rather flood the position with young talent and see what we get.
February 14th, 2025 at 10:37 pm
Some here are so serious they can’t tolerate warranted criticism, branding it “hate,” and are humorless. This article was fun, and it’s a chance to kick some tires and possibly build depth at a position that is an obvious area of weakness by any measure. Some blame coaching, others blame players. It’s both.
A veteran is needed.
February 14th, 2025 at 10:38 pm
Bring him in!!!! His upside is worth the shot. But, draft a guy too.
February 15th, 2025 at 12:42 am
keep Anthony Nelson–he is productive
February 15th, 2025 at 12:48 am
A nelson is going nowhere he won us the panther game with the strip in final seconds to give us the win,
February 15th, 2025 at 1:06 am
Without Nelson, Todd is jobless today.
February 15th, 2025 at 2:20 am
You might look at the last sentence. What are you trying to say?
February 15th, 2025 at 5:27 am
If he can drop in coverage and be one of the worst in coverage in the league by leaps and bounds. I can almost guarantee he will be signed.
February 15th, 2025 at 5:41 am
Joe! I think your desperation is causing a cosmic brain infarction!
Take two aspirins and a Six pack of your favorite zany craft beer and try again.
Go Bucs!
February 15th, 2025 at 9:13 am
If the Steelers make a mistake, they correct it quickly. Hope is not a strategy.
February 15th, 2025 at 12:36 pm
4 1/2 sacks say it all. I think JTS had as many
February 15th, 2025 at 2:50 pm
When he got snaps, he played well especially against the run. Later in the year, he fell out of favor with the coaching staff. No sure why but they opted to bench him over Jermiah Moon, a practice squad warm body, for their playoff game. It was a moronic decision. Especially they went on and gave up 299 yards rushing in the game.
He’d be #3 OLB in Pittsburgh behind TJ Watt and Highsmith. Plus the Steelers ownership are cheapskates. So there’s no way they’d pay $13M for a back-up OLB. Which is why he was released. They did him a solid by doing it before waiting until the league year begins.
Bucs should definitely tick the tires on Preston. If a team friendly deal can be reached, he’d be a solid addition to the D. Plus it mean they wouldn’t have to rush a rookie (or two) into starting at OLB either.
February 15th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
No way to Preston Smith.
February 15th, 2025 at 4:16 pm
Sounds like Enigma follows football rather than just reading and regurgitating stats. Thanks for that, Enigma and I agree he’s worth a look. You bring 90 players to camp. Signing him doesn’t guarantee anything except a more educated opinion on whether he improves the team or not.
February 15th, 2025 at 10:08 pm
Preston smith is nothing more than a rotational guy, if they sign him they need to add another legit pass rusher.