10:27pm: Smith isn’t the only offensive playmaker about whom the Steelers have inquired. The team has has “preliminary conversations” with multiple teams as they search for another weapon alongside Metcalf, per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Schultz’s report indicates that Pittsburgh will complete a trade in the coming months. After adding a third-rounder in the Pickens trade, the team now has eight selections in the 2026 NFL Draft with the potential to add four more via the compensatory pick system.
2:06pm: The Dolphins and the Steelers are exploring a trade that would send tight end Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The trade talks stem from Smith’s desire for a new contract. He arrived in Miami on a two-year, $8.4MM last offseason and quickly outplayed his value with the best receiving numbers of his career and his first Pro Bowl selection. Smith led the Dolphins with 88 catches and eight receiving touchdowns, and his 884 receiving yards trailed only Tyreek Hill. Those numbers were also the best of any tight end in franchise history.
Smith is set to earn $4.1MM this year with additional money available via incentives, per OverTheCap, a bargain relative to his recent production. However, 2024 was his first year with more than 35 yards per game, so the Dolphins may not want to overpay for what could be an outlier season.
Enter the Steelers, who remade their pass-catching corps this season by trading for D.K. Metcalf and sending George Pickens – their leading receiver since 2022 – to the Cowboys. Pittsburgh did sign 2021 second-round tight end Pat Freiermuth to a four-year extension last September, but Smith was the more productive player in 2024. He ranked fifth among all tight ends with 1.95 yards per route run, while Freiermuth’s 1.42 YPRR ranked 20th, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Steelers’ lack of WR depth may encourage them to invest in another tight end, especially one who is so familiar with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Arthur Smith was the Titans’ tight ends coach when they drafted Jonnu Smith in the third-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The former FIU standout started 25 games across his first two years, largely as a blocker, but became a bigger part of the passing game once Arthur Smith took over as offensive coordinator in 2019. Jonnu Smith started 28 games over the next two years, catching 76 of his 109 targets for 887 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. That earned him a four-year, $50MM contract with the Patriots, while Arthur Smith was hired as the Falcons’ head coach.
An underwhelming two years in New England led to Jonnu Smith’s release during the 2023 offseason. He reunited with Arthur Smith on a two-year, $15MM deal in Atlanta, where he posted career-highs with 50 receptions and 582 receiving yards in 2023. Despite his performance, Jonnu Smith was released after the season, likely because of Arthur Smith’s firing. Now, the two could be on the verge of another reunion that would allow the veteran coach to use his trademark two tight end formations.
However, Jonnu Smith would prefer to remain in Miami with a revised contract, per Schefter. If the Dolphins are unwilling to commit to him past this season, the two sides could find a middle ground via an increased salary, some new guarantees, and/or additional incentives to raise Smith’s earning potential.
Good move for Steelers. Better WR than Friermuth. Washington is stud blocker but not a great receiver. Friermuth is ok at both.
Smith will carry the ball for the Steelers, like he did with the Titans.
What in the world is going on in Miami? They really don’t seem to have a clue on how to build a team.
Are they trying to tank for Arch Manning? If I was him, I sure wouldn’t go there based on the last two-plus decades of ineptitude.
Miami is being Miami. They are a poorly run team that occasionally lucks into relevance.
And I don’t think Manning is really considered the top potential prospect for the next draft. And I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t even come out.
Seems like most currently have him at the top of the QB board.
link to pff.com
You are right that the Dolphins are poorly run. We’re headed into the fourth season of McDaniel as Head Coach and tenth year of Chris Grier as GM, and this team still isn’t any better than it was when Brian Flores was fired.
Time for Stephen Ross to put Dolphins fans first and axe both McDaniel and Grier.
Or better yet, sell the team
This has got to be the craziest Steelers offseason ever. Adding offensive weapons everywhere while still not having the QB situation settled…yet.
Exactly. It’s odd to be bringing in top talent with nobody guaranteed to be able to deliver them the ball. Maybe the best thing is Big Ben working with Howard to make him a valid option to start at some point this season.
Not sure I get this but for those complaining about good weapons but QB not clear, the better the weapons the less great the QB needs to be. If the line gives time Rudolf will be able to get top tier weapons the ball.
Boooooooo! Don’t go to Arthur Smith crappy offense Jonnu! You were a PPR BEAST TE best numbers of your career! Send old fart complainer Tyreek Hill instead Miami!
Hill and Metcalf running vertical routes on every play would just be chaos to watch. I’d love to see it.
If the Falcons are any indication, Arthur Smith doesn’t like using the Tight End position in the passing game.
Seems I read an article here that Roger’s and Metcalf had been doing some ‘throw and catch’ just after DK signed.
Who is promoting the Manning hype wagon? Would that be the original Arch, cause I don’t remember him being all that special.
The Bears have finally addressed their TE position but back when Smith signed with the Falcons I thought Chicago should have pursued him as well. Perhaps they’ll take an interest in Jonnu a decade from now when they want another Marcedes Lewis.
Jonnu screwed himself going to New England. He’s shown at every other stop that he’s an elite receiving TE with WR like speed and athleticism.
He definitely deserves to get paid what he’s worth.