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Falcons To Acquire TE Jonnu Smith From Patriots

March 13th, 2023 at 10:21am CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots have moved on from one of their big-ticket tight end acquisitions of 2021. Jonnu Smith is being traded to the Falcons for a seventh-round pick, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).

Smith made himself one of the top free agents of the 2021 class at the position after the four-year start to his career in Tennessee. As part of their unusually aggressive approach on the open market that offseason, New England inked him to a four-year, $50MM contract. They also splurged on fellow tight end Hunter Henry, something the team may have come to regret.

The former had an underwhelming tenure with New England, scoring just one touchdown in 30 games. He registered 539 yards on 55 catches, totals which were far lower than expected given his success in Tennessee. Now, this move will reunite him with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith (who was the Titans’ offensive coordinator during his time there). It will also save the Patriots roughly $4.4MM in cap space.

Smith’s deal was restructured in September, which upped his 2023 cap hit to $17.2MM. Per multiple reports, the Falcons will look to re-work his contract once again upon arrival to make it more team-friendly. Smith, 27, is currently on the books through 2024. He will look to rediscover his Titans form while working with a familiar coach in Atlanta, while also giving the Falcons a strong blocking tight end to complement the pass-catching skills of Kyle Pitts.

For New England, this move marks a disappointing end to Smith’s addition two years ago. They will now focus on retaining Henry, who has racked up 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two Patriots campaigns. The former Charger has one year remaining on his deal, which includes a cap hit of $15.5MM. That figure could hinder the team’s efforts to add more productive receivers (regardless of if they are able to keep Jakobi Meyers in the fold), though the cap savings from this deal will give them some added flexibility. A replacement for Smith can likely be found in the draft, which is said to include a number of high-end options at the TE spot this year.

Patriots Rework TE Jonnu Smith’s Contract

September 3rd, 2022 at 9:42am CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots reworked Jonnu Smith‘s contract yesterday, opening a chunk of cap space. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Patriots converted $7.96MM of the tight end’s base salary into a bonus, creating an extra $5.31MM in cap space. This move now gives the Patriots more than $8.8MM in cap space.

Thanks to the restructured deal, Smith’s cap hit will increase by $2.655MM in both 2023 and 2024, giving him a $17.4MM cap hit in 2023 and a $18.4MM cap hit in 2024 (h/t to Miguel Benzan on Twitter). If the Patriots were to cut Smith before June 2, 2023, they’d be left with more than $19MM in dead cap, and they’d be left with $12.8MM in dead cap following a trade.

In other words, the Patriots are indicating that Smith will likely be sticking around beyond the 2022 season. This is a bit surprising after the tight end disappointed during his first season in New England. After hauling in eight touchdowns for the Titans in 2020, Smith inked a four-year, $50MM deal last offseason. He struggled throughout the 2021 campaign, finishing with only 28 receptions for 294 yards and one score.

Reports out of Patriots camp have noted that Smith looks more comfortable during his second training camp and preseason. After the Patriots committed only 18 percent of their offensive snaps to two tight end sets in 2021, we could see Smith play a larger role alongside Hunter Henry in 2022.

Bengals Make Three Waiver Claims

September 2nd, 2022 at 9:55am CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 2: To no surprise, the Bengals are indeed re-signing Allen, Thomas and Williams now that they have the open roster spots to do so, per a team announcement. Cincinnati is also placing safety Tycen Anderson and tackle Isaiah Prince on IR.

AUGUST 31: The Bengals have made some notable additions in the aftermath of yesterday’s roster cutdowns. Per the waiver wire, they have claimed tight end Devin Asiasi, guard Max Scharping and defensive tackle Jay Tufele.

[RELATED: Bengals Expected To Sign TE Howard]

Asiasi came to New England with significant expectations, given his draft status and the organization’s success at the position. The third-rounder made just 10 appearances in his first two seasons, though, recording only a pair of receptions. The Patriots made a substantial free agent investment in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith last offseason, limiting his future with the team. In Cincinnati, he will face steep competition for playing time from Hayden Hurst and, in all likelihood, O.J. Howard.

Scharping is in a similar situation to Asiasi in terms of being an underwhelming high draft choice yet to finish their rookie contract. A 2019 second-rounder, the 26-year-old started 33 of the 48 contests he appeared in with the Texans, moving from the left to right guard spot this past season. Regardless of where he lined up, the Northern Illinois alum graded out in the mid-to-high 50s with respect to PFF rating, leaving him on the roster bubble. Scharping’s vacated spot is likely to be filled by A.J. Cann; he will challenge for a backup role behind top free agent addition Alex Cappa with the Bengals.

Tufele, meanwhile, has seen the least playing time of the new trio. As a rookie last season, he made just four appearances in Jacksonville, totaling two tackles. His PFF pass rush grade of 77 indicates some upside on third downs, which dates back to his time in college. Moving on from the USC alum so soon may have come as a surprise, though the additions of Folorunso Fatukasi and Adam Gotsis along the d-line were likely to significantly lessen his chance of seeing significant playing time with the Jaguars. The Bengals lost Larry Ogunjobi in free agency, but re-upped B.J. Hill, whom Tufele will look to provide depth behind his new home.

The defending AFC champions will return many of the members of last season’s team, but these additions could prove effective at areas of relative need. Among the cuts necessary to accommodate the new arrivals is veteran quarterback Brandon Allen. The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal for the third consecutive offseason to remain in Cincinnati.

For now, Allen’s departure leaves the Bengals with only Joe Burrow under center. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets, however, that Allen “will be back.” Cincinnati is also parting ways with safety Michael Thomas and running back Trayveon Williams.

Jets Made A Push For TE Jonnu Smith

March 28th, 2021 at 10:31am CST by Rory Parks

The Jets watched the division-rival Patriots embark on an uncharacteristic spending spree this month, and at least one of New England’s shiny new toys was a New York target. Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via ESPN colleague Rich Cimini), the Jets made a push for former Titans tight end Jonnu Smith, who wound up signing a whopping four-year, $50MM deal with the Pats.

Jets GM Joe Douglas has shown restraint when it comes to handing out big-money deals to FAs. He has established a pattern of sticking to his price for a particular player, and given that Smith’s deal was larger than most in the industry expected, it’s not terribly surprising that Douglas did not outbid Bill Belichick for the 25-year-old TE.

Douglas was able to add a couple of new receivers — Corey Davis and Keelan Cole — for whoever will be under center when Week 1 rolls around, but tight end is still a weak spot. Chris Herndon, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, underperformed in 2020, and while the Jets did sign Tyler Kroft in free agency, he is hardly the playmaking talent that teams are looking for at the position these days. Plus, outside of Kyle Pitts, this year’s rookie class of TEs is rather thin. And unless the Jets elect to keep Sam Darnold and use the No. 2 overall pick on Pitts — or a lower selection if they trade down a couple of spots — it will be difficult to find an upgrade in the draft.

Still, there is encouraging news for Jets fans. According to Cimini, new head coach Robert Saleh has made his club a much more attractive destination for free agents, who used to choose Gang Green simply when the team overpaid.

In speaking about his choice to join the Jets, Davis said, “[i]t starts with Coach Saleh. He’s the right guy to come in here and turn things around. That’s what I believe. That’s why I came here. I believe his message and I believe what he brings to the table. He brings great energy, you can tell. It’ll be great to play for a guy like that.”

Money will still be the deciding factor in most cases, but having a charismatic HC who can connect with players will only help the Jets’ cause when it comes to attracting outside talent.

Contract Details: Patriots, Moseley, Golden, Bills, Hyde

March 16th, 2021 at 6:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Some assorted contract details from around the NFL:

  • LB Matt Judon, Patriots: $18MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1MM (2021), $11MM (2022), $11MM (2023), $9.5MM (2024). Up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses, $500K All-Pro incentive between 2022 and 2024. Via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter.
  • TE Jonnu Smith, Patriots: $15MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1MM (2021), $9MM (2022), $10MM (2023), $11MM (2024). Up to $1MM in per-game roster bonuses. Via Yates on Twitter.
  • CB Emmanuel Moseley, 49ers: $500K per-game active roster bonus in 2022. Up to $750K play-time base salary escalator in 2022. Via Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson on Twitter.
  • LB Markus Golden, Cardinals: two years, $5MM, $2.5MM guaranteed. $1.5MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1MM (2021, guaranteed), $2MM (2022). Up to $250K in annual per-game roster bonuses, up to $2MM in annual sack incentives. Via Wilson on Twitter.
  • OT Daryl Williams, Bills: $13.75MM guaranteed, $5.4MM signing bonus. Salaries: $1MM (2021), $6.725MM (2022), $5.475MM (2023). $3MM roster bonus in 2021, $1.25MM roster bonus in 2023. Per-game roster bonuses: $250K (2021), $300K (2022-2023). $100K annual workout bonuses. $2.2MM in additional annual incentives. Via Yates on Twitter.
  • RB Carlos Hyde, Jaguars: Two years, $4.5MM. $1.25MM base salary in 2021 is fully guaranteed. $900K signing bonus. Via TheMMQB’s Albert Breer on Twitter.

Patriots Sign TE Jonnu Smith

March 15th, 2021 at 12:05pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the top tight ends on the market is off the board. The Patriots have agreed to terms on a deal with free agent Jonnu Smith, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

It’s a big one, as Smith is getting a whopping $50MM over four years with $31.25MM guaranteed. What a way for New England to kick off free agency, and it’s one of the biggest investments Bill Belichick has made in a skill position player in years. Tight end was a clear need for the Pats this offseason, as the team got virtually nothing from the position in 2020. Ryan Izzo led the team’s tight ends with 13 catches for 199 yards and no touchdowns. They haven’t really gotten anything out of it since Rob Gronkowski walked away.

A third-round pick of the Titans in 2017, Smith never truly broke out but flashed a lot of potential during his four years in Tennessee. Stuck behind Delanie Walker for his first couple pro seasons, Smith had his best year yet in 2020.

In 15 games and 14 starts, he had 41 catches for 448 yards and an impressive eight touchdowns. He’ll now be catching passes from Cam Newton, or whoever else Belichick brings in under center. If your team is still looking for a tight end don’t worry, solid options like Hunter Henry, Kyle Rudolph, and Jared Cook are still all on the market.

As Doug Kyed of NESN.com was quick to tweet, Belichick lavished Smith in praise a little over a year ago, calling him the best tight end in the league after the catch.

Franchise Tag Roundup: Dupree, Seahawks, Bengals

March 9th, 2021 at 10:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Despite some whispers of a potential delay, the deadline for teams to place franchise tags on impending free agents was today at 5 p.m. CT. While a handful of players learned that they were slapped with the tag, a number of players naturally learned that they’ll be entering unrestricted free agency. We collected some of those notable players below:

  • The Steelers decided to not tag Bud Dupree, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). The linebacker was hit with the tag last offseason. The former first rounder had another strong season for Pittsburgh, compiling eight sacks in only 11 games.
  • A pair of popular Seahawks players didn’t get franchised: running back Chris Carson (per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter) and cornerback Shaquill Griffin (per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter). The team is planning to (at least) make a pursuit at retaining Griffin, per Rapoport.
  • The Bengals didn’t franchise pass rusher Carl Lawson, per Rapoport (on Twitter). The former fourth rounder has collected 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons, with Rapoport opining that the lineman is “one of the NFL’s most underrated players” heading into free agency.
  • The Lions decided to not franchise Romeo Okwara, according to Rapoport (via Twitter). The 25-year-old had a breakout season in Detroit, setting career-highs in tackles (44) and sacks (10).
  • Despite leading the Cardinals with 12.5 sacks last season, Arizona didn’t franchise linebacker Haason Reddick (according to Schefter on Twitter). The former first-rounder also set career-highs in QB hits (16) and tackles for loss (15).
  • The Titans didn’t franchise tight end Jonnu Smith, per Schefter on Twitter. The 25-year-old has shown flashes during his brief NFL career, including a 2020 campaign where he set career-highs in receptions (41), receiving yards (448), and touchdowns (eight).

As a reminder, here are the players who have reportedly been tagged over the past 48 hours:

Titans GM On Isaiah Wilson, Offseason

February 16th, 2021 at 5:48pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We already talked about how Titans GM Jon Robinson confirmed the team had made contact with J.J. Watt‘s reps this morning, but there were some more interesting nuggets to come out of Robinson’s press conference.

For starters, Robinson talked about perhaps the biggest mistake of the 2020 NFL Draft, Isaiah Wilson. Tennessee drafted the offensive tackle 29th overall last April, but he played only four snaps as a rookie. After getting drafted, Wilson was arrested for DUI, received a trespass warning for attending a party at Tennessee State and twice landed on the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. He was suspended for Week 13 for a violation of team rules and then was placed on the reserve/NFI list in December shortly after finally making his NFL debut.

Robinson revealed on Tuesday that he hasn’t spoken with Wilson since placing him on the NFI list, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. Robinson said others had been in some degree of contact with the first-rounder, but he didn’t sound particularly optimistic about his future with the team. “He is going to have to make a determination on if he wants to do everything necessary to play pro football,” Robinson said bluntly.

Wilson only just turned 22 last week so he’s got time to figure it out, but it sure sounds like the Titans won’t be counting on the Georgia product for 2021. Meanwhile, Robinson seemed to indicate there’s a good chance receiver Corey Davis and tight end Jonnu Smith could walk in free agency.

Robinson said he had the same conversation with those two guys that he did with tackle Jack Conklin last year, saying the team “will make competitive offer, but wishes them the best if they opt for free agency,” Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com tweets. Conklin, of course, left for the Browns in free agency. Davis, the fifth overall pick of the 2017 draft, is set to be a free agent since Robinson elected to decline his fifth-year option last May. Davis responded with a resurgent season, racking up a career-high 984 yards in only 14 games. It’ll be very interesting to see what kind of offers he gets on the open market.

 Finally, Robinson acknowledged that pass-rushing help was needed in one form or another. “It’s something that’s high on our list – to find guys, whatever position it is defensively – that can affect the quarterback,” he said. Tennessee ranked 30th this past year with only 19 sacks. That would certainly explain the interest in Watt.

Titans Unsure About Extensions For Jonnu Smith, Others

July 10th, 2020 at 2:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Historically, the Titans have a point to lock up key players before they can leave via free agency. Taylor Lewan and Kevin Byard both landed extensions well in advance, but the ongoing uncertainty may leave players like tight end Jonnu Smith in limbo, GM Jon Robinson says. 

“I’m a big analogy guy,” Robinson told Paul Kuharsky. “It’s no different than if I was if I was working for Pepsi or Coke, and I knew that we weren’t going to have as many sales. …You wouldn’t go out and buy a new house.

“I don’t know what that’s going to look like. It’s something that we will certainly talk about. You know, we’ve talked to the players and the reps. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now with everything, and I would say certainly with the salary cap too, because we’ve got to be mindful. What you don’t want to do is do something and then you’ve got to undo it or try to unpack it a year, two years from now, given the uncertainty of the salary cap.”

Smith isn’t the only notable player entering his walk year. Linebacker Jayon Brown and nose tackle DaQuan Jones also have one season to go on their respective deals, but they could be left to wait as the Titans try to get a grip on their future finances. The league is facing a potential $4 billion loss in revenue, which would shrink the cap by about 35%. The NFL has pitched the idea of putting a portion of player salaries into escrow to avoid a dramatic drop, but the union is pushing back.

Smith was mostly been as a blocker in his early years, but he flashed his hands last year. The 24-year-old (25 in August) caught 35 passes for 439 yards and three scores, giving the Titans a glimpse of what could come. The former third-round pick is slated to count for just $933K this year and he’s in line for a pay bump in 2021.

Titans TE Jonnu Smith Done For Year

December 7th, 2018 at 3:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Titans tight end Jonnu Smith is going to miss the rest of the season with an MCL injury, a source tells ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Smith, 23, went down while blocking for Derrick Henry on his historic 99-yard touchdown run and the injury proved to be serious. He’ll be placed on injured reserve this week in order to open up a spot on the roster.

Smith has largely been utilized as a blocker in Tennessee, though he has flashed his hands on occasion. In a November loss to the Colts, Smith had six grabs for 44 yards. He also scored three touchdowns during the month of November. His season ends with 20 catches for 258 yards and three TDs,

Smith, a third-round pick in the 2017 draft, has two more years to go on his rookie contract. He’s scheduled to count for $845K next season and $933K in 2020, the final year of his deal.

The Titans kept their playoff hopes alive with Thursday’s win, thanks in large part to an all-time great performance from Henry. They currently have a 27% chance of reaching the postseason, according to Five Thirty Eight, with a pair of winnable matchups on deck against the Giants and Redskins.

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