Just a season ago in 2024, Jonnu Smith was thriving with the Miami Dolphins. The franchise believed it had found a difference-maker at tight end. Yet things changed fast, and now, months after the 2026 NFL Draft, he is still without a team.
What exactly happened, and why hasn’t a team taken a chance on him yet?
Why Jonnu Smith Remains a Free Agent
Before the 2024 season, the Dolphins signed Smith to a two-year, $8.4 million contract. Up until that point, Smith had mostly bounced around the league as a journeyman, suiting up for three different teams across four seasons.
That label didn’t last much longer, though. Then-head coach Mike McDaniel found a way to maximize Smith’s skill set in Miami. The Dolphins leaned on him as a key piece of their passing attack. The veteran tight end set career highs in receptions and receiving yards.
Both numbers also broke the Dolphins franchise records for a tight end. Before arriving in Miami, Smith had topped 500 receiving yards only once in a single season.
Thanks to that breakout campaign, Smith earned his first career Pro Bowl nod. He stood out as one of the lone bright spots on an otherwise disappointing Dolphins team.
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Heading into 2025, fans were excited to see Smith, but he had just one year left on his deal and wanted a new contract. In the end, Miami and Smith couldn’t agree on an extension. So the Dolphins included him in the trade that sent Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and brought safety Minkah Fitzpatrick back to Miami.
For Smith, things didn’t go smoothly in Pittsburgh. The Steelers never made Smith a real focal point of their offense, and he sat behind Pat Freiermuth on the depth chart, producing the lowest receiving yardage total since his rookie season.
According to PFSN’s TE Impact Metric, Smith posted an impact score of 68.2 last season, ranking 62nd in the league. In comparison, he was ranked sixth in the league in 2024 with an impact score of 84.4.
Once the year wrapped up, the Steelers released him. Since then, unfortunately, Smith has remained a free agent. Still, the soon-to-be 31-year-old is just one year removed from catching 88 passes for 884 yards and 8 touchdowns in Miami. And some league insiders still believe he’ll land a team in the coming weeks.
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In his recent report on the top remaining free agents, Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano named the Arizona Cardinals as a logical fit for Jonnu Smith. The reason is the new Cardinals coach, Mike LaFleur.
“New Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur saw firsthand last season as the Rams’ offensive coordinator the importance of having multiple playmaking tight ends,” Manzano said. “While LaFleur might now have the league’s best tight end, Trey McBride, he could use more help at the position after seeing 140-plus targets in each of the past two seasons.”
He also argued that Smith, 30, has played the role of an ideal No. 2 tight end throughout his nine-year career. It wasn’t long ago, after all, when former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel found ways to unleash him in the passing game.
Last season, the Steelers didn’t lean on Smith much as a pass catcher. Still, he showed he’s a versatile playmaker who can help out in the running game as a blocker. Landing with a club that emphasizes his versatility and movement skills could help Smith bounce back quickly.
Only time will tell, though, if any team actually gives him that opportunity.
