At 31 years old, Smith was the oldest player on the Green Bay Packers until they recently signed 33-year-old kicker Brandon McManus.
Over the first six games of the season, Smith has recorded 2.5 sacks and 14 tackles. While the Packers utilize a rotation for their defensive linemen, Smith stands out as he ranks second among the team’s defensive ends, participating in 58.5% of the defensive snaps.
Now in his 10th NFL season, Smith has a remarkable record of availability, missing just one game due to an oblique injury in Week 7 of 2021.
He is known for his reliability, having played the first 102 games of his career consecutively and maintaining an active streak in the last 50 games.
Smith began his career with four seasons in Washington before joining the Packers as a free agent in March 2019.
His consistency has made a significant impact on the team, and head coach Matt LaFleur praised his value, especially with a roster that includes many younger players. LaFleur emphasized that Smith’s dependability has been a cornerstone for the team over the years.
The Packers employ a rotation of defensive ends, including Rashan Gary, Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, and Lukas Van Ness, with snap counts of 65.4%, 58.5%, 41.3%, and 39.2%, respectively.
While trading Smith could provide more opportunities for the younger players to develop, it would also mean losing a crucial contributor to a defense that currently ranks ninth in scoring.
