NFL teams are already starting to trim their rosters ahead of free agency, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have now joined the Miami Dolphins as a team that has made significant cuts. The Dolphins released Pro Bowl running back Raheem Mostert and two other veterans, and now the Steelers have surprisingly released linebacker Preston Smith.
Read more: Dolphins Officially Release Three Veteran Players in Early Roster Purge
The Steelers have released edge rusher Preston Smith, who was set to count $13.4 million against the cap in 2025 and $14.1 million in 2026.
Pittsburgh now has about $54.1 million in cap space and a league-high $163.8 M committed to defense.
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) February 14, 2025
Smith was going to count for $13.4 million against the cap in 2025, and $14.1 million against the cap in 2026. Instead of taking on these sizeable amounts, the Steelers chose to release the former Green Bay Packers edge rusher.
Smith being released does come at a bit of a shock considering the Steelers acquired the linebacker at the trade deadline in 2024. He requested a trade from the Packers after stating he was not happy with the defensive role he was given in Green Bay’s 3-4 defensive structure.

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This story will be updated…