Green Bay Packers: Best/Worst Case Scenarios for Preston Smith

The Green Bay Packers targeted and spent a significant amount of money on Preston Smith in free agency, here are the best and worst case scenarios for his first season.

The Green Bay Packers went into the offseason with one clear goal in mind. They wanted to upgrade their pass rushers. After waiting several years for Clay Matthews and Nick Perry to become a dynamic tandem, they decided to go in a different direction once age and injuries made both players expendable in the eyes of GM Brian Gutekunst.

On the second day of free agency, the Packers made a big splash in signing free agent Za’Darius Smith. Smith’s contract was eye-popping considering the typically conservative nature of the Packers in free agency.

Shortly after the news of Za’Darius Smith broke, the Green Bay Packers would sign Adrian Amos.

Clearly once that happened, most people thought they were done adding and would shift their focus to April’s draft.

But as we all know, they did not. Preston Smith was signed about an hour after Smith and Amos were brought in. Preston Smith is another player made in the image of what defensive coordinator Mike Pettine typically likes in terms of his defensive linemen.

He is slated to start and probably will be a three-down player on the edge. He will team up with Za’Darius Smith to give the Packers a tandem they hoped to have when they drafted Nick Perry to play across from Clay Matthews.

Smith does not have the sack production that will cause casual observers to raise their eyebrows, but he’s been a very good player and disrupts opposing quarterbacks.

For a defense looking to replace some of its longtime contributors, the Packers are looking to fill a void in leadership along with the pass rush.

Here are the best and worst case scenarios for Smith’s first season in Green Bay.

Best Case

Smith steps in seamlessly and makes the transition from Washington to Green Bay. He grows into a solid starter, and steady leader for young players like Rashan Gary and Kendall Donnerson.

He’s one of the Packers preferred rushers on third down, and remains a player that can be used as a chess piece throughout the front seven. He finds a way to equal the 53 pressures that he had from a season ago while finding a better conversion rate in terms of getting sacks.

Smith remains a solid defender against the run while continuing to go about his job. The Packers feel as if they have added a significant piece to their defense as well as the locker room by the end of his first season.

Worst Case

Smith struggles in his first season to live up to his contract. His pressure rate goes down, and his sack conversion rate does not rise, which makes him relatively ineffective on the outside. He is pushed by players like Gary and Kyler Fackrell for starter reps early in the season, as opposed to establishing himself on the defense.

The questions about whether or not he’s a one-hit wonder continue to persist and the Green Bay Packers are left wondering if they made a mistake by giving a relatively unproven player such a large contract.