Veteran edge rusher Preston Smith is quietly having a productive season for the Packers, but just as important as his production is to the Packers, so is his leadership — not only in the edge rusher room but to the team as a whole.
“He’s the leader of the group,” said pass rush game coordinator Jason Rebrovich on Thursday. “There’s no doubt about it. It’s been that way before I even got here. I was having a great conversation about him not too long ago, just his leadership skills and what he brings.
“He’s got nine years of experience in this league. That’s a lot. I put my arm around him and ask him questions about what his daily routine is and how he does it. How he’s seen it.”
From the outside, Rashan Gary, Kenny Clark, and Lukas Van Ness will garner a lot of attention – and understandably so – but Smith has consistently been one of the most productive defenders against both the run and pass this season.
On a defense that is on the verge of cracking the top 10 in pressure rate, Smith’s 31 pressures are the third-most on the team, just 10 behind Gary and Clark. He’s also recorded two five-pressure performances in the last three weeks. Smith’s six sacks rank second on the team, as does his 8.2 percent run-stop rate, according to PFF, while he has the lowest missed tackle percentage on the defense.
“Consistent play each and every time he’s out there,” said Matt LaFleur when asked about Smith. “I think he does a great job. He’s the old head in the room, so to speak, and he does a great job of keeping it all together, and I can’t say enough about him. Just from our time together, seeing him grow as a leader, not only for that room but for our defense, for our football team. He’s been very reliable, very consistent, and you can always count on him.”
But beyond the production is the leadership that Smith brings to this entire Green Bay team, as Rebrovich and LaFleur both quickly pivoted to. When we think of the inexperience and youth on this Packers team, the offense comes to mind first. However, the defense has its share of those qualities as well.
Three of the Packers five edge rushers are in either their first or second seasons. Karl Brooks, Colby Wooden, Carrington Valentine, and Anthony Johnson are rookies, while TJ Slaton, Quay Walker, and Devonte Wyatt are still on their rookie deals. Meanwhile, Jonathan Owens, Keiesean Nixon, and Corey Ballentine all entered 2023 with relatively small amounts of defensive experience.
With so many inexperienced players, having a presence like Smith is quite valuable. It’s a reason why many advocated for the Packers to add a veteran to either the tight end or receiver rooms in the offseason. Smith’s hands-on leadership approach and general experience has helped this group navigate the learning curve – both on and off the field – that comes with being in the NFL.
“Since the day I got here,” said rookie edge rusher Brenton Cox, “Preston has been on me, just trying to be a better man, better player, being a better teammate, communicating more. For me, all around. Definitely, he’s been hands-on with me since I got here.”
The Packers’ pass rush in recent weeks has been picking up steam. They had three key red zone sacks against Kansas City, one of which belonged to Smith, while Jared Goff was under pressure on 52 percent of his dropbacks and Justin Herbert nearly 40 percent.
Not coincidentally, the overall defense has improved as well, and Smith has been a key part of that success, both in his production on the field and the leadership he provides to this unit off of it.
“Preston Smith is arguably one of the best players I’ve ever been around from a leadership standpoint,” added Rebrovich, “and the production he’s had for us this year has been substantial.”
