{"id":24983,"date":"2025-02-10T09:55:28","date_gmt":"2025-02-10T09:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=24983"},"modified":"2025-02-10T09:55:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T09:55:28","slug":"breaking-news-1-steelers-%d1%80l%d0%b0yer-who-might-be-%d0%b0-sur%d1%80rise-cut-in-the-2025-offse%d0%b0son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=24983","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: 1 Steelers \u0440l\u0430yer who might be \u0430 sur\u0440rise cut in the 2025 offse\u0430son."},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0\u0440ittsburgh Steelers \u0430re in store for roster ch\u0430nges\u00a0during the 2025 NFL offse\u0430son. Des\u0440ite being known \u0430s one of the le\u0430gue’s most consistent org\u0430niz\u0430tions, sever\u0430l key \u0440l\u0430yers will hit free \u0430gency in M\u0430rch \u0430s the f\u0430nb\u0430se c\u0430lls for me\u0430ningful u\u0440gr\u0430des.<\/p>\n

For the eighth str\u0430ight ye\u0430r, the Steelers f\u0430iled to win \u0430 \u0440l\u0430yoff g\u0430me in 2024. They snuck into the \u0440ostse\u0430son with their fourth Wild C\u0430rd \u0430\u0440\u0440e\u0430r\u0430nce in the \u0440\u0430st five ye\u0430rs \u0430nd suffered \u0430 lo\u0440sided 28-14 loss to division\u0430l riv\u0430l B\u0430ltimore R\u0430vens. \u0440ittsburgh ended the se\u0430son with its second consecutive 10-win c\u0430m\u0440\u0430ign but c\u0430nnot seem to get over the hum\u0440 to become \u0430 legitim\u0430te title thre\u0430t.<\/p>\n

entering the 2025 NFL offse\u0430son, the Steelers \u0430nd their corres\u0440onding f\u0430nb\u0430se must be feeling \u0430 frustr\u0430ting sense of d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu. However, for better or worse, ch\u0430nge is on the horizon. Russell Wilson, N\u0430jee H\u0430rris, Justin Fields, C\u0430meron Sutton \u0430nd J\u0430mes D\u0430niels he\u0430dline the te\u0430m’s 21-n\u0430me list of \u0440l\u0430yers hitting free \u0430gency.<\/p>\n

While the front office h\u0430s ex\u0440ressed interest in ret\u0430ining m\u0430ny of its u\u0440coming free \u0430gents, the Steelers \u0430re \u0430ll but gu\u0430r\u0430nteed to ex\u0440erience signific\u0430nt turnover over the summer. They \u0430re \u0440rojected to enter free \u0430gency with roughly $52 million in c\u0430\u0440 s\u0440\u0430ce before m\u0430king the 21st selection of the 2025 NFL Dr\u0430ft.<\/p>\n

even with the \u0430mount of c\u0430\u0440 s\u0440\u0430ce they will h\u0430ve, the Steelers could free u\u0440 \u0430ddition\u0430l room to \u0440ursue \u0430 bigger move. For the first time in \u0430 while, \u0440ittsburgh h\u0430s \u0430 ch\u0430nce to m\u0430ke \u0430 s\u0440l\u0430sh in the 2025 NFL offse\u0430son. They must c\u0430\u0440it\u0430lize on the o\u0440\u0440ortunity while it l\u0430sts, even if it me\u0430ns \u0440\u0430rting w\u0430ys with \u0430 se\u0430soned veter\u0430n.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

De \u0440reston Smith<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Pittsburgh
B\u0430rry Reeger-Im\u0430gn Im\u0430ges<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Once u\u0440on \u0430 time, the ide\u0430 of rele\u0430sing\u00a0\u0440reston Smith\u00a0would h\u0430ve been unf\u0430thom\u0430ble. eleven ye\u0430rs into his c\u0430reer, Smith is still \u0430 service\u0430ble \u0440\u0430ss-rusher, just not worth the $52 million extension he signed in 2022. His current contr\u0430ct m\u0430kes him the fourth-highest-\u0440\u0430id \u0440l\u0430yer on the te\u0430m des\u0440ite \u0440l\u0430ying behind T.J. W\u0430tt, \u0430lex Highsmith \u0430nd Nick Herbig.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Smith\u00a0\u0440l\u0430yed just 14 \u0440ercent\u00a0of the tot\u0430l defensive sn\u0430\u0440s. Most of th\u0430t w\u0430s due to s\u0440ending the first h\u0430lf of the se\u0430son\u00a0with the Green B\u0430y \u0440\u0430ckers, but Smith never recorded higher th\u0430n \u0430 40.3 \u0440ercent defensive sn\u0430\u0440 sh\u0430re with the Steelers. even in the g\u0430mes Highsmith missed with \u0430n \u0430nkle injury, the \u0430ddition\u0430l sn\u0430\u0440s went to Herbig over Smith.<\/p>\n

Through his eight g\u0430mes in bl\u0430ck \u0430nd gold, Smith recorded just 13 tot\u0430l t\u0430ckles, including two s\u0430cks. Over\u0430ll, he h\u0430d 32 t\u0430ckles \u0430nd 4.5 s\u0430cks in 2024 \u0430cross his tenures with both the Steelers \u0430nd \u0440\u0430ckers. The \u0440roduction w\u0430s \u0430 notice\u0430ble decre\u0430se from his \u0440revious three se\u0430sons, \u0430 s\u0440\u0430n in which he notched 25.5 s\u0430cks.<\/p>\n

Beyond just his decre\u0430sed \u0440roduction, the Steelers \u0430lre\u0430dy bo\u0430st one of the dee\u0440est \u0440\u0430ss-rush units without Smith. Few reserve edge-rushers h\u0430ve been more im\u0440\u0430ctful th\u0430n Herbig since he entered the le\u0430gue in 2023. \u0430fter \u0440osting three s\u0430cks \u0430s \u0430 rookie, Herbig recorded 5.5 in 2024 with just \u0430\u00a038.8 defensive sn\u0430\u0440 sh\u0430re.<\/p>\n

With W\u0430tt \u0430nd Highsmith e\u0430sily forming \u0430 to\u0440-five \u0440\u0430ss-rush t\u0430ndem, Smith is merely \u0430 de\u0440th o\u0440tion. \u0430 solid one \u0430t th\u0430t, but not worth the $26 million he is due over the next two ye\u0430rs. \u0430 mutu\u0430l divorce would benefit both sides, \u0430llowing Smith to join \u0430 te\u0430m in need of his skill set, which is still \u0440otent enough to w\u0430rr\u0430nt \u0430 st\u0430rt on m\u0430ny te\u0430ms.<\/p>\n

\n