Something exciting may be brewing behind the scenes for the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the most anticipated moves of the 2025 offseason took place on Friday with the release of Steelers OLB Preston Smith, who was a healthy scratch in two of the final three games of the team’s 2024 season.
Releasing Smith gave the Pittsburgh Steelers an additional $13.4 million in cap space, further increasing the likelihood of a blockbuster move as the 2025 free agency period in March approaches.
Altogether, the Steelers now have more than $50 million in cap space. While several key players remain unsigned, there should still be enough room for one huge name via trade or signing—such as 49ers’ Deebo Samuel or Rams’ Cooper Kupp.
Both Samuel and Kupp were linked as trade targets for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout 2024. Now that both the 49ers and Rams are likely to move on from their former All-Pro wide receivers in 2025, Smith’s release seems to be the catalyst for a massive trade.