The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense has gotten off to an incredibly slow start, to say the least. By their lofty standards, they've been historically bad on that side of the ball through two weeks of the 2025 NFL campaign.
Pittsburgh allowed at least 30 points in their opening pair of games for the first time since 2002 (h/t Brooke Pryor of ESPN). It also marks the latest such instance at any point of a season since 2021. Yeesh.
When it rains, it pours, we suppose. To make matters worse, standout sack artist Alex Highsmith will miss at minimum a few contests due to a reported high-ankle sprain. If only the Steelers had a chance to bring in reinforcements, perhaps someone familiar with their scheme and organizational culture.
Oh, wait, the Steelers had the opportunity to do just that. They could've reunited with veteran edge rusher Preston Smith, but the Washington Commanders beat them to the punch.
New Commanders EDGE Preston Smith could've helped Steelers address defensive woes
Washington has signed Smith, per an official team announcement, though no contract details have been released. They did so to "[add] more depth to their defensive front." The Steelers should've pursued him with that mindset, particularly in the wake of Highsmith's absence.
As Steelers fans presumably recall, Smith briefly donned the black and gold in 2024. Pittsburgh landed him from the Green Bay Packers for a seventh-round pick ahead of last year's trade deadline. For whatever reason(s), he was sparingly used before being a cap casualty this past offseason.
While the acquisition of Smith didn't go as planned for him or the Steelers, things may have been different if they had rejoined forces. He was a luxury addition, yet a little time can make all the difference; his services are suddenly needed for a reeling stop unit sans Highsmith. After all, the ex-Packers standout has a track record that speaks for itself, ranking 15th in total sacks since 2015 (70.5).
There aren't many players with Smith's pedigree on the open market, and he's already acquainted with how the Steelers operate! Given the state of affairs in Pittsburgh, why not take a flier on a proven commodity? Putting two and two together, kicking the tires on him following the loss of Highsmith felt like a no-brainer move.