Commanders land Deatrich Wise Jr. replacement nobody thought possible

There was a great deal of buzz among the fan base when the Washington Commanders brought in Preston Smith for a workout. And it seems as if those in power were suitably impressed by his capabilities.

The Commanders needed another capable performer in their edge rushing room after losing Deatrich Wise Jr. His quad injury suffered against the Green Bay Packers requires season-ending surgery, which has left Washington in a hole they need to get out of quickly.

Adam Peters reacted swiftly as expected. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Commanders have signed Smith before preparations for their Week 3 game against the Las Vegas Raiders gather pace. Whether the Mississippi State product can feature immediately remains to be seen, but the coaching staff must be confident that he'll be able to feature sooner rather than later.

Commanders sign Preston Smith to fill the void left by Deatrich Wise Jr.

This is an emotional return for Smith. He was drafted by Washington in 2015, spending four years with the franchise en route to 24.5 sacks. A high-profile move to the Packers followed, which saw the dominant edge threat take his game to entirely new heights.

After six profitable years in Green Bay, Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2024 deadline. He didn't do enough to get another commitment from the franchise, and he's been seeking the right opportunity ever since. Now, at almost 33 years old, he comes back to where it all began in Washington.

This is nothing more than a band-aid fix. The Commanders have an overreliance on veterans entering their career twilight right now. Adding Smith to the NFL's oldest roster comes with obvious problems if it doesn't go well. Even so, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Smith must get up to speed quickly. He's probably kept himself in good shape away from the game, but there is going to be an adjustment period. Hopefully, that'll be brief, because the Commanders need him to create havoc in pass-rushing situations while also holding his own against the run.

After Jadeveon Clowney signed for the Dallas Cowboys, Smith was arguably the best remaining option for Washington. His previous connection to the organization made this a popular move among fans. But if he cannot produce the goods, questions will be asked about Peters' overall approach to his defensive end recruitment this offseason.

That's to be determined, but acquiring Smith doesn't hurt if he's still got something left in the tank.