Commanders reunite with pass rusher Preston Smith, send cornerback Jonathan Jones to injured reserve

A familiar face is coming back to Washington. The Commanders signed free-agent pass-rusher Preston Smith on Wednesday. The 2015 second-round pick spent the first four seasons of his career in the District of Columbia.

In a corresponding move, the Commanders placed cornerback Jonathan Jones on the injured reserve list. The former New England Patriot left Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a hamstring injury.

Smith could help fill the hole left by the injured Deatrich Wise, who suffered a season-ending quad injury against the Packers. The 32-year-old Smith has recorded 70.5 sacks in a 10-year career that has featured stops with the Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers since leaving Washington after the 2018 season.

Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Monday that the team would look outside the roster to replace Wise’s role as a big-bodied end.

“The size and the strength that Deatrich plays with on the edge, that’s a real thing, and so we’ll mix it around,” he said, noting that the team was “looking to see what we’d add.” “Fortunately for the roster, we’ve got some guys with some size that we can put into some different locations without giving away too much.”

The Commanders suffered a slew of injuries in the Week 2 loss to the Packers. Running back Austin Ekeler suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. Wide receiver Noah Brown and tight end John Bates are both dealing with groin injuries.

Most concerning, quarterback Jayden Daniels is “truly day-to-day” after spraining his knee, Quinn said.

“Teams go through it; it’s just at different times with injuries and such,” he said. “So, we’ll just take it as it goes, but it’s a little bit of a puzzle. You have to put it together much like other teams do, and we’ll be prepared for that with the contingency plans at certain spots if we need them.”

The Commanders return to practice on Wednesday ahead of a home game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon.