Preston Smith Restructures 2024...saves $2.4M BUT Sack Incentives Added

[tynimiller]

The other restructures just get lost...so separate thread.

I'll hit my Preston drum yet again, and I know it bugs many here - but I truly see Preston as one of the most consistent guys on the defensive side of the ball for us. Not as electric as Gary...not as menacing as Clark when he is firing....not as flashy as Jaire...but Preston is solid, consistent and that is a blessing to have.

Not too mention he has constantly done the team some solids....his contract extension was not crazy and now this year he was willing to do a restructure that saves the team $2.4M this year and better yet didn't push anything into future years. He truly took a cut, with an outside chance of earning some of it back as it seems if he hits 10 sacks he would recoup all or close to it back, 12 would be more and 14 would hit over $4M in incentives.

A guy willing to take a legit cut, hold his spot and help his team while betting on himself some - you have to love that. This is the stuff winning organizations get from players at times - freaking awesome.

For those saying he was a cut candidate if he hadn't done this....utterly false. Would have COST the team to cut him, was not the case.

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[El Guapo]

In 2019, the Packers acquired both Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith. Both invigorated the defense. However, from our team's standpoint, Za'darius was like a Super Red Giant that burned bright and fast and then went supernova. Now he's gone.

Preston is like our sun, a yellow dwarf, a main sequence star. He is consistent and is exactly what is needed on the Green & Gold defense.

 

[AmishMafia]

In 2019, the Packers acquired both Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith. Both invigorated the defense. However, from our team's standpoint, Za'darius was like a Super Red Giant that burned bright and fast and then went supernova. Now he's gone.

Preston is like our sun, a yellow dwarf, a main sequence star. He is consistent and is exactly what is needed on the Green & Gold defense.

I was certain 2019 was wrong. Seems like Z was here 3 or 4 years and has been gone for about the same. Nope. 2019 it was.

 

[PikeBadger]

In 2019, the Packers acquired both Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith. Both invigorated the defense. However, from our team's standpoint, Za'darius was like a Super Red Giant that burned bright and fast and then went supernova. Now he's gone.

Preston is like our sun, a yellow dwarf, a main sequence star. He is consistent and is exactly what is needed on the Green & Gold defense.

Another way to put it............ Zadarius had a big pie hole and Preston doesn't.

 

[Packer Fan in SD]

Another way to put it............ Zadarius had a big pie hole and Preston doesn't.

I thought we cut him because he was hurt his 3rd year and had a big $ if we kept him.

 

[Sanguine camper]

The other restructures just get lost...so separate thread.

I'll hit my Preston drum yet again, and I know it bugs many here - but I truly see Preston as one of the most consistent guys on the defensive side of the ball for us. Not as electric as Gary...not as menacing as Clark when he is firing....not as flashy as Jaire...but Preston is solid, consistent and that is a blessing to have.

Not too mention he has constantly done the team some solids....his contract extension was not crazy and now this year he was willing to do a restructure that saves the team $2.4M this year and better yet didn't push anything into future years. He truly took a cut, with an outside chance of earning some of it back as it seems if he hits 10 sacks he would recoup all or close to it back, 12 would be more and 14 would hit over $4M in incentives.

A guy willing to take a legit cut, hold his spot and help his team while betting on himself some - you have to love that. This is the stuff winning organizations get from players at times - freaking awesome.

For those saying he was a cut candidate if he hadn't done this....utterly false. Would have COST the team to cut him, was not the case.

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Agree there is no way Smith is a cut candidate. He had a good season in 2023 and depth is an issue at OLB since Enagbare tore his ACL. Maybe Smith can even get a slight raise in 2024 if he hits his incentives. The devil is in the details but incentives may be loaded towards snaps played. If so, with depth being an issue, Smith might be banking on playing a lot of snaps in 2024.

 

[tynimiller]

Agree there is no way Smith is a cut candidate. He had a good season in 2023 and depth is an issue at OLB since Enagbare tore his ACL. Maybe Smith can even get a slight raise in 2024 if he hits his incentives. The devil is in the details but incentives may be loaded towards snaps played. If so, with depth being an issue, Smith might be banking on playing a lot of snaps in 2024.

Sacks were only incentives of notable size.

 

[El Guapo]

I thought we cut him because he was hurt his 3rd year and had a big $ if we kept him.

I haven't looked it up yet, but IIRC Smith got butt-hurt because his teammates didn't elect him be a team captain. Things went downhill after that in terms of team relations. On top of that he had a back injury that kept him out most of his last season here. I think that he came back for a playoff game and played well, then hit the FA market.

If you aren't available to play, and you run your mouth off about not being the team darling, your time will be short on any team in any sport.

 

[tynimiller]

I haven't looked it up yet, but IIRC Smith got butt-hurt because his teammates didn't elect him be a team captain. Things went downhill after that in terms of team relations. On top of that he had a back injury that kept him out most of his last season here. I think that he came back for a playoff game and played well, then hit the FA market.

If you aren't available to play, and you run your mouth off about not being the team darling, your time will be short on any team in any sport.

Yeah Z kinda made GB have no choice but to walk from him....

 

[gopkrs]

GB had a choice. But probably him or Preston. I think they made the right choice. Zadarious was hurt a lot as has been said and he often got hurt in the middle of games. Looked like maybe he would be out the rest of the season, and then come back in the same game. I thought he was an injury risk. But when he was on; he was lights out.

 

[sschind]

The other restructures just get lost...so separate thread.

I'll hit my Preston drum yet again, and I know it bugs many here - but I truly see Preston as one of the most consistent guys on the defensive side of the ball for us. Not as electric as Gary...not as menacing as Clark when he is firing....not as flashy as Jaire...but Preston is solid, consistent and that is a blessing to have.

Not too mention he has constantly done the team some solids....his contract extension was not crazy and now this year he was willing to do a restructure that saves the team $2.4M this year and better yet didn't push anything into future years. He truly took a cut, with an outside chance of earning some of it back as it seems if he hits 10 sacks he would recoup all or close to it back, 12 would be more and 14 would hit over $4M in incentives.

A guy willing to take a legit cut, hold his spot and help his team while betting on himself some - you have to love that. This is the stuff winning organizations get from players at times - freaking awesome.

For those saying he was a cut candidate if he hadn't done this....utterly false. Would have COST the team to cut him, was not the case.

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I always thought he was more of a team first guy than ZaDarius. When he signed his extension I remember commenting that it was structured in such a way that if his production remained constant it was a deal that could easily have been fulfilled as signed by both sides. Not one of those that would require either a restructure or cap casualty cut or a disgruntled player playing for less than they thought they deserved. He's been a very solid constant and I'm glad he'll be around for another year. The cap reduction is a bonus although if he does earn the bonuses he will count more against next seasons cap as I assume most of them are considered unlikely to be earned.

 

[PikeBadger]

Yeah Z kinda made GB have no choice but to walk from him....

Very easy decision imo. Reminded me somewhat of Biamila. One trick pony kind of guy that was much easier to replace than many would think.

 

[PikeBadger]

I always thought he was more of a team first guy than ZaDarius. When he signed his extension I remember commenting that it was structured in such a way that if his production remained constant it was a deal that could easily have been fulfilled as signed by both sides. Not one of those that would require either a restructure or cap casualty cut or a disgruntled player playing for less than they thought they deserved. He's been a very solid constant and I'm glad he'll be around for another year. The cap reduction is a bonus although if he does earn the bonuses he will count more against next seasons cap as I assume most of them are considered unlikely to be earned.

The ULTB earned bonuses would be good news for the team if he hit them.

 

[sschind]

The ULTB earned bonuses would be good news for the team if he hit them.

Definitely agree, hitting those incentives would be good for the team. However, I think some people who are so high on incentive based contracts often overlook that aspect. I've seen some people argue for very high incentive based contracts that while hitting them would be good for the team this season it could come back to bite them next season.

 

[tynimiller]

Definitely agree, hitting those incentives would be good for the team. However, I think some people who are so high on incentive based contracts often overlook that aspect. I've seen some people argue for very high incentive based contracts that while hitting them would be good for the team this season it could come back to bite them next season.

Yup depending on the incentive and structure they can hit salary cap in big ways

 

[PikeBadger]

Definitely agree, hitting those incentives would be good for the team. However, I think some people who are so high on incentive based contracts often overlook that aspect. I've seen some people argue for very high incentive based contracts that while hitting them would be good for the team this season it could come back to bite them next season.

Agree, but I don't see it as a big problem if you do it with a few guys that you really want to keep but need to open up space in the cap. I could see a similar situation occurring with Jones.