Jonnu Smith signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal with $3.96 million guaranteed to join the Miami Dolphins ahead of the 2024 season.
The move paid dividends, as the veteran tight end delivered a career-best performance—posting 884 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 88 receptions—culminating in his first Pro Bowl selection in his eight-year NFL career.
Now entering the final year of his contract, Smith is reportedly seeking a new deal, fueling speculation that he could be on the trade block.
One NFL insider recently identified an ideal landing spot for the former third-round pick from the 2017 draft.
NFL Insider: Best Trade Destination for Jonnu Smith
While Smith posted the best season of his career in 2024, the Dolphins’ offense as a whole took a significant step back. After finishing the previous year ranked second in scoring and first in total yards, Miami fell to 22nd and 18th in those categories, respectively.
This decline has sparked rumors that the tight end—who is reportedly seeking a new contract—may be traded. Speaking on his podcast, “The Breer Report”, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated shared the ideal landing spot for Smith, stating:
“I do think Jonnu Smith would like to stay in Miami. He has a home there. He looks very comfortable in Mike McDaniel’s offense. Mike McDaniel was able to get a lot out of him last year. He’s a very specific type of player so I don’t know that his value would be great across the league.
“I think you have to have a plan for someone like Jonnu Smith. And that’s why the Pittsburgh [Steelers] situation makes so much sense. Donald Parham, who they brought in, is dealing with an injury right now so there is a need there at that position.
“Here’s the other thing: if Aaron Rodgers does show up next week, if he shows up at the beginning of training camp, this move would give the Steelers and Arthur Smith, their offensive coordinator, a lot of flexibility to do a lot of different things offensively. They’ve already got a very functional, high-end, wide tight end in Pat Freiermuth, who they locked up long-term.
“And so, Jonnu Smith would not have to play in-line. You could move him around a bunch. You could toggle between 12 personnel and 11 personnel based on what you have at the receiver position.”
Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith coached Jonnu Smith in 2023 when both were with the Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh on Thursday. Breer noted that the Dolphins aren’t actively shopping Smith but could be motivated to trade him for draft capital during what he described as a reset year.