Instant analysis of Packers trading DE Preston Smith to Steelers

Age, performance, the young talent behind him on the depth chart and recent snap counts made Preston Smith a potential trade candidate for the Green Bay Packers, and a deal was completed before Tuesday's NFL trade deadline.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Packers are trading Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Packers will receive a seventh-round pick in return for Smith.

The Packers are 6-3 and an NFC contender, making a sale at the deadline questionable. But Smith turns 32 later this month and has just 10 pressures in nine games, and the Packers are increasingly playing Lukas Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare on defense opposite Rashan Gary.

With Smith in Pittsburgh, the Packers can also start adding Arron Mosby and Brenton Cox Jr. to the pass rushing rotation.

Last week, Smith played fewer snaps than Van Ness and Enagbare, and Mosby — who had a half-sack — made his debut at defensive end. Smith only played five snaps as a pass rusher.

The move is not without risk. Edge rusher is a premium position, and the Packers are simply voluntarily reducing their depth at defensive end. Smith is also a respected leader in Green Bay's increasingly younger locker room. Any type of defensive injury or internal turmoil could cause Smith to miss the final two months of the season.

However, the Packers need Van Ness to continue to develop on the field, and Smith – given his age and cost next season – was unlikely to be around until 2025.

For the second straight year, the Packers traded for a veteran defenseman. Last season, Green Bay sent cornerback Rasul Douglas to the Buffalo Bills at the deadline.

Smith was signed by the Packers as a free agent in 2019. He produced 44.0 sacks and 96 quarterback hits in six seasons and 91 games in Green Bay.