Trading Preston Smith didn’t make the Green Bay Packers sellers before the deadline. It wasn’t the kind of move a team with a losing record makes.

Not only did Smith request a trade, but he had struggled to adapt to the Packers’ new defensive scheme under Jeff Hafley. Green Bay netted a draft pick and significant future salary cap savings, making it an excellent deal.

Smith hasn’t exactly made the Pittsburgh Steelers look great, either, making one sack and quarterback hit in three games. He played 17 snaps in the previous two contests, fewer than in any game for the Packers this season.

Another consequence of trading Smith is that it’s forced the Packers to give more opportunities to their young pass-rushers. So far, so good. Brenton Cox Jr. made a sack in his first game, and the Packers are seeing encouraging signs from Kingsley Enagbare, Lukas Van Ness, and Arron Mosby.

The pass rush has improved since the Smith trade. Per PFF, the Packers have made 53 total pressures and 11 sacks in the past three games.

Van Ness, in particular, has stepped up in a big way.

Green Bay knew Van Ness needed time to develop. He didn’t start a game in college (and still hasn’t for the Packers). While the former first-rounder is still playing a backup role to Rashan Gary and Enagbare, his production is picking up.

It has taken the entire defensive front time to adapt to Hafley’s scheme, but it perhaps shouldn’t be a coincidence that Gary and Kenny Clark are rediscovering their best form while Quay Walker is coming off arguably the best two-game stretch of his career.

Van Ness’ recent production is encouraging.

Per PFF, he made four pressures, one sack, and one QB hit in the opening seven games this season. In the past two games, he has five pressures and three sacks. In Week 12, only Pittsburgh’s Nick Herbig earned a higher PFF pass-rush grade than Van Ness’ elite 93.8

It’s a small sample size, but Van Ness looks more comfortable out there, and the numbers back it up. If this upward trend continues, it won’t be long before his role increases and he (finally) makes his first career start.

Green Bay’s pass rush lacked consistency in the first half of the season, making the Smith trade even riskier. Despite his lack of production, the Packers were moving on from one of their most experienced players and a leader in the locker room. They needed a young player to step up and fill the void.

They have had contributions from several players, including Gary’s return to form. Van Ness is the most exciting, and the 13th overall pick in 2023 has huge upside.

It’s still too early to call, and Van Ness has a long way to go, but his recent production is highly encouraging and makes the Smith trade look even better for the Packers.