Washington Commanders Free Agency: Preston Smith returns to D.C., CB to IR

Update: Commanders announced Smith’s signing, and place CB Jonathan Jones on injured reserve. He left Thursday’s game with a hamstring injury.

The Washington Commanders placed RB Austin Ekeler(Achilles) and DE Deatrich Wise Jr.(quad) on injured reserve after they both suffered injuries in Thursday night’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. Washington already added RB Chase Edmonds to the practice squad, and called DE Jalyn Holmes up. Now they’re adding a familiar place for more defensive line help.

Preston Smith is signing with the Commanders, marking a return to the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played for the Redskins for four years before signing a 4-year. $52 million contract to join the Green Bay Packers. He was with them until last season, when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 7th-round pick in this year’s draft.

Smith(32) was one of the best options available in free agency, and joins a defense that has been going through major changes over the last two seasons under head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. Washington’s defensive line is anchored by Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw at DT with Jer’Zhan Newton and Eddie Goldman backing them up. Dorance Armstrong, Jacob Martin, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, and Holmes were the defensive ends before the Preston Smith signing.

Defense & Fumbles Table Def Interceptions Fumbles Tackles Season Age Team Lg Pos G GS Int Yds IntTD Lng PD FF Fmb FR Yds FRTD Sk Comb Solo Ast TFL QBHits Sfty AV Awards 2015 23 WAS NFL DE 16 2 0 0 0 0 4 3 0 1 0 0 8.0 35 24 11 6 10 0 3 2016 24 WAS NFL LOLB 16 16 1 22 0 22 3 0 0 0 0 0 4.5 38 22 16 8 12 0 7 2017 25 WAS NFL LOLB 16 16 2 26 0 18 3 1 0 1 12 0 8.0 42 31 11 10 21 0 8 2018 26 WAS NFL LOLB 16 16 1 3 0 3 3 0 0 1 1 1 4.0 53 30 23 5 16 0 8 2019 27 GNB NFL LOLB 16 16 1 5 0 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 12.0 56 36 20 11 23 0 9 2020 28 GNB NFL LOLB 16 13 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 14 1 4.0 42 29 13 7 11 0 7 2021 29 GNB NFL LOLB 16 16 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 2 4 0 9.0 38 25 13 9 17 0 7 2022 30 GNB NFL LOLB 17 17 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 8.5 59 38 21 9 20 0 8 2023 31 GNB NFL LB 17 17 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 8.0 48 28 20 4 21 0 7 2024 32 2TM NFL LDE 17 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4.5 32 12 20 5 6 0 5 2024 32 GNB NFL LDE 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.5 19 6 13 2 4 0 4 2024 32 PIT NFL LB 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.0 13 6 7 3 2 0 1

10 Yrs 163 138 5 56 0 22 27 10 1 7 32 2 70.5 443 275 168 74 157 0 69 17 Game Avg 17 14 1 6 0 22 3 1 0 1 3 0 7.4 46 29 18 8 16 0 7 GNB (6 Yrs) 91 88 1 5 0 5 14 6 1 3 18 1 44.0 262 162 100 42 96 0 42 WAS (4 Yrs) 64 50 4 51 0 22 13 4 0 3 13 1 24.5 168 107 61 29 59 0 26 PIT (1 Yr) 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2.0 13 6 7 3 2 0 1

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table

Generated 9/17/2025.

Washington made two more practice squad moves yesterday. They brought back WR Tay Martin, who was with the team this offseason, and signed G Tyler Cooper after a workout.

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