With three and a half minutes remaining in the game, the Miami Dolphins looked to put the Las Vegas Raiders on ice with a touchdown drive. With the ball snapped on his side of the field, the Dolphins quarterback scanned the field and rolled to his left. Two steps later, he found the most reliable target of this season.
Miami’s New Top Target Has Emerged
Tight end Jonnu Smith, untouched by Raiders’, caught the ball and ran to free real estate into the end zone for a 57-yard touchdown pass by Tagovailoa. Miami would go on to win the contest 34-19, but the result screamed more than a mark for the win column. The Dolphins have now found their No. 1 receiver for the season.
Jonnu’s Impact
Smith ended the game with a team-high 101 receiving yards, two touchdowns, six receptions, and averaged 16.83 yards per reception. Only wide receiver Tyreek Hill had more receptions than the Florida International alum with seven for the day. Smith’s numbers mark a season-high for him, but it isn’t something out of the blue.
Since week 4, the tight end has produced five games with over 40 receiving yards. This included a standout performance in a loss against the Indianapolis Colts in week 7. Smith garnered 96 receiving yards on seven of seven targets. In that same game, the veteran hauled in a touchdown and averaged 13.7 yards per reception.
Smith has averaged 11.5 yards per catch this season. The number places him behind only behind Hill and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for best on the team. However, what truly made his impact an issue for opponents of Miami is what he can do after the catch. The 29-year-old boulder of a man uses his size and unique speed at 248 lbs to brush through secondaries for extra yards ahead. Out of all receivers and tight ends, Smith contributed an impressive 249 yards after the catch (YAC) through week 11.
The Foreshadowing
The impact on offense by Smith has been something that was foreshadowed before the regular season even started. In training camp, the tight end would be used as a wildcard on offense with bubble screens, five-yard flat routes, and even plays designed for the run with him behind the quarterback. Smith was used as a Swiss army knife.
The versatile athlete hasn’t done much in the run this season besides one carry for a negative gain, but training camp showed signs of potential use across head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. The third-year head coach has been known to use just about every person in his offense. Smith has been no exception.
Whether with or without Tagovailoa in shotgun formation, Smith continued to be utilized in the Dolphins offense. In its struggles, Miami didn’t stray from using the tight end to its advantage. In a part of the season that was filled with dark clouds, Smith looked like he could battle for the top receiver role.
Smith vs. Hill
Of course, it would go without notice that Hill is the usual receiver No. 1 in this offense. Voted the No. 1 player in the NFL by his peers, the former Super Bowl champion opened the season with an explosive performance with 130 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The later part of the season, however, told a different story with Tagovailoa’s absence this season.
Unlike his record-breaking 2023 season, Hill struggled to find himself to impact games without his first-string quarterback. The speedy receiver squeezed out 164 receiving yards throughout week 2 to week 7. Meanwhile, Smith put up 229 receiving yards within that same period. No matter the quarterback on the field, the tight end was always involved and available.
When Tagovailoa returned for week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals, Hill and the offense was back in action. The wide receiver now holds a team-high 523 receiving yards — thanks to 229 yards caught through the air in the last four games. Smith in that same time wasn’t far behind with 212 yards.
This margin in yards shows a gradual change in options that Tagovailoa has considered throughout this year between the two offensive-skilled players. In past seasons, Hill and Waddle would be the undisputed No. 1 and No. 2 receivers. Smith in his first year with the team has now made it difficult.
The tight end has more targets, touchdowns, first downs catches, receptions, yards per game, and YAC than Waddle this season. In other words, Smith is already a legitimate No. 2 option. Some may argue it’s too soon for Hill comparisons, but the numbers are there.
A Leader’s Focus in the Locker Room
Smith’s career spans through eight years in the NFL. Since he entered into the league, the former third-round pick has grown into a leader in league locker rooms. That can already be felt in Miami.
After a season-defining day against Las Vegas, that even brought Tagovailoa into the room of his media availability with local reporters, Smith didn’t care that everyone wanted to hear from him. The only focus he has at the moment is what the Dolphins can do on a two-game winning streak. He feels everyone, despite their superstar status, is on the same boat.
“I think that’s what’s so special about this group,” Smith said. “Just eliminating the egos, eliminating the ‘me’ mentality — just focusing on the team. Just doing what we’re supposed to do…we rallied, we experienced some adversity and we’re pushing through it, and that’s why it’s such a special group.”
Main Photo: [Jim Rassol] – USA Today Sports
