-
Marcel Louis-Jacques
The Miami Dolphins have engaged in commerce discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers involving tight finish Jonnu Smith, sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Smith expressed curiosity to the Dolphins in transforming the two-year deal he signed final offseason, which might pay him $4.8 million in 2025, sources advised Schefter. Smith was not current for Miami’s voluntary OTA practices this week.
The Steelers’ curiosity in Smith is rooted in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s long-standing relationship with the tight finish. Arthur Smith was Jonnu Smith’s tight ends coach and offensive coordinator in Tennessee, and Arthur Smith later traded for his former participant throughout his stint because the Falcons‘ head coach.
Jonnu Smith set a franchise document for receptions (88) and receiving yards (884) by a decent finish final season en path to his first profession Professional Bowl choice. He led all Dolphins gamers in receptions in his first 12 months with the group and completed behind solely Brock Bowers, Trey McBride and George Kittle leaguewide in receiving yards by a decent finish.
Buying and selling Smith would imply the Dolphins may enter the 2025 season with out 4 distinguished veteran leaders from a season in the past, together with defensive lineman Calais Campbell, offensive lineman Terron Armstead and defensive again Jalen Ramsey, whom Miami can be trying to commerce this offseason.
Miami will not be essentially outfitted to enter the season with out Smith, who performed 54.8% of its offensive snaps in 2024. Julian Hill has operated as Miami’s main blocking tight finish and returns in 2025, and the Dolphins swapped out Durham Smythe totally free agent signee Pharaoh Brown, who’s also referred to as extra of a blocker than receiver.
Third-year veteran Tanner Conner, a transformed school large receiver, and undrafted free agent Jalin Conyers spherical out Miami’s tight ends room.
The tight finish has fared properly in Arthur Smith’s offenses, together with producing an eight-touchdown season in 2020.
The Steelers, although, haven’t got a obvious want at tight finish. They signed 2021 second-round decide Pat Freiermuth to a four-year, $48 million extension final offseason and likewise return 2023 third-round decide Darnell Washington and 2022 sixth-round tight finish/fullback Connor Heyward. Pittsburgh signed former Chargers tight finish Donald Parham Jr., who has 11 profession touchdowns, earlier this offseason.
The Steelers carried 4 tight ends on their 53-man roster final season. The lone departure from that group was MyCole Pruitt, who wasn’t re-signed after initially becoming a member of the group on a one-year contract final season.
Like Jonnu Smith, Pruitt had an extended historical past with Arthur Smith and performed for him in each Tennessee and Atlanta.
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.
