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Factoid

Jonnu Smith looking for work

Veteran tight end headed for fifth team in five years

The Steelers released Jonnu Smith, but I haven’t seen any indication anybody is rushing to sign him. After a lesser season with the Steelers, he’s a depressed asset.

I imagine some team will bring him in for a look at some point. He caught 88 passes and 8 TDs in 2024 with the Dolphins. But I don’t expect he’ll be getting anything more than an incentive-filled contract for around the minimum.

Smith was not a good fit with the Patriots and spent only one year with Atlanta. He’ll be 31 on opening day, likely playing for a fifth different team in five years.

At 6-foot-3, he’s short for a tight end, and he’s been used the last two years mainly as a short-range option around the line of scrimmage. He averaged only 5.8 yards per catch last year, and he was at 10 yards per grab the previous season.

Since the merger in 1970, 930 tight ends have caught at least 35 passes in a season. All of those guys averaged at least a yard more per catch than Smith last year.

Smith for the second half of the 2024 season was about the most productive tight end in the league, but I don’t think he’s getting back to being that guy. That production was more about how he was used rather than his talent, and I don’t see a current team having any interest in trying to make Jonnu Smith a key part of their offense.

TIGHT ENDS AVERAGE UNDER 8 YARDS PER CATCH
YearPlayerRecYdsAvgTD
2025Jonnu Smith, Pitt.382225.82
2006Steve Heiden, Cle.362496.92
2009Donald Lee, G.B.372607.01
2017Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ503577.13
2006Alex Smith, T.B.352507.13
2019Vance McDonald, Pitt.382737.23
1999Ryan Wetnight, Chi.382777.31
2025Jake Ferguson, Dall.826007.38
2005Bo Scaife, Ten.372737.42
2014Jermaine Gresham, Cin.624607.45
2024Evan Engram, Jac.473657.81
2008Donald Lee, G.B.393037.85
2000Jackie Harris, Dall.393067.95
2007Eric Johnson, N.O.483787.92
2024David Njoku, Cle.645057.95
1992Marv Cook, N.E.524137.92
1986Bruce Hardy, Mia.544308.05
2022Hayden Hurst, Cin.524148.02

—Ian Allan

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