Green Bay Packers linebacker questionable to return against Steelers

Green Bay Packers’ linebacker Preston Smith is questionable to return to Sunday’s contest with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as Smith suffered a shoulder injury early in the game.

Through the Packers’ first three games of the year, Smith had nine total tackles (seven solo stops), five quarterback hits and one sack. Smith is a frequent contributor to the Packers’ special teams unit, too, as he’s appeared in roughly 20 percent of the Packers’ special teams snaps in the first two weeks of the season.

The loss of Smith could be pivotal for the Packers’ defense, which is already short-staffed in the early weeks of the 2021 regular season. The Packers already lost two-time Pro Bowl nominee and 2020 second team All-Pro outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith to the injured reserve due to lingering back injuries, leaving them thin at linebacker. Preston would merely add insult to injury.

Smith has been with the Packers since 2019. The Stone Mountain, Georgia native was rated as high as a two-star recruit by recruiting sites, and he ultimately elected to attend Mississippi State out of high school. While with the Bulldogs, Smith was a first-team All-SEC nominee in his senior season, as he notched 48 total tackles (22 solo stops) including 15 tackles for a loss and nine sacks. That same year, in 2014, Smith had two interceptions — one taken back for a touchdown — and two forced fumbles. He was selected in the second round with the 38th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team, where he spent the first four years of his career.

In his first four years with Washington, Smith started 50 games and tallied 275 tackles (107 solo stops), 29 tackles for a loss, 24.5 sacks and four interceptions. He signed with Green Bay on a four-year deal after his first stint in Washington, and his second deal was worth $52 million. Smith has been a steady contributor to the Packers defense through three seasons, notching 107 tackles (72 solo stops), 19 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks and one interception.