Jonnu Smith had an uneventful first stint with the New England Patriots, but he could earn a second opportunity with the club in the coming weeks. A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Florida International product first made a name for himself with the Tennessee Titans and signed a massive contract with New England after playing out his rookie contract. Unfortunately, he couldn’t justify this investment, as he lasted just two seasons with the team and recorded just 55 receptions for 539 yards and one touchdown during those campaigns.
However, a change of scenery brought out the best in Jonnu Smith. The tight end had a strong season with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 and made it to the Pro Bowl with the Miami Dolphins in 2024. Appearing in all 17 games, Smith finished the season with 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns on 111 targets. Miami traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the 2025 season, but he couldn’t do much of anything with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Now a free agent, Jonnu Smith has yet to find a new home. While he is coming off an underwhelming campaign and is now entering his age-31 season, he’s only one year removed from being a productive player. Some team should roll the dice on him, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton believes the new England Patriots should be that team.
“The Titans drafted Smith before they hired [former head coach Mike] Vrabel, but he recorded 76 receptions for 887 yards and 11 touchdowns over his last two years in Tennessee,” Moton writes. “In 2020, the pass-catching tight end finished second on the team in touchdown receptions with eight.”
Patriots Urged to Sign Jonnu Smith
Moton brings up a good point. While Jonnu Smith did not play well during his first stint with the New England Patriots, he was a dangerous weapon with Mike Vrabel in Tennessee. Serving as a versatile jack of all trades, Vrabel knew how to get the best out of the tight end, and that usage could continue in New England. It’s not like Vrabel is opposed to a reunion either, as the Patriots just traded for wide receiver A.J. Brown.
The biggest question is whether or not the Patriots need another tight end. Hunter Henry is firmly entrenched atop the depth chart, and the longtime Patriot is coming off one of the better seasons of his career. While the team parted ways with Austin Hooper in the offseason, New England used a third-round pick on Notre Dame’s Eli Randon. If Vrabel and the coaching staff believe the rookie can contribute right out of the gate, they’d have no reason to sign Jonnu Smith.
Historically speaking, young tight ends need time to adjust to life in the NFL and don’t do much as rookies. However, that has changed in recent seasons with guys like Brock Bowers and Harold Fannin Jr. If New England believes Randon is up for the challenge, they’ll probably move on without Jonnu Smith. However, if they want some veteran insurance, they could pursue the free agent.
The good news is the team doesn’t need to make a decision now. Jonnu Smith played under head coach Mike Vrabel with the Titans and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with the Patriots, so it shouldn’t take long to get him up to speed if and when he signs. While he’s never caught a pass from quarterback Drake Maye, he should be able to hit the ground running. New England can take their time, see how Randon progresses throughout the offseason, and if he’s not ready, the team can bring in Smith later in the offseason and use him as the team’s TE2 as New England pursues another deep playoff run with its MVP-caliber quarterback.
