Reports surfaced last week that the Dolphins have had trade discussions with the Steelers regarding TE Jonnu Smith, who is looking for a reworked contract.
However, Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly has downplayed the talk of Smith possibly ending up in Pittsburgh.
“The Steelers aren’t interested at all,” Kaboly said, per Andrew Fillipponi.
Kaboly offered a longer explanation on X as to why Smith may not be a fit for the Steelers.
“Don’t always believe what’s on Twitter. It was reported that the Steelers are interested in Miami tight end Jonnu Smith via a trade. Omar Khan has said on multiple occasions that he can’t believe the amount of fake news out there. I may have to file that Smith interest under that category, even though the connections with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who coached Smith at Tennessee and Atlanta and is a big fan of his play, bring some believability to it all. Forget that the Steelers already have a legitimate TE1 in Freiermuth, but the way Darnell Washington has asserted himself in the passing game through three offseason practices can’t be dismissed,” Kaboly wrote.
Smith wants to re-work his deal, which is scheduled to pay him $4.8 million in 2025. He also mentions Smith would prefer to stay with the Dolphins on a re-worked deal.
It’s worth noting Smith has not been at voluntary workouts amidst the contract talks.
Should Smith get traded to Pittsburgh, it would be the second time an offense headed by Steelers OC Arthur Smith traded for the tight end. Arthur Smith was the head coach for Atlanta when the Falcons acquired Jonnu Smith in 2023.
Smith, 29, is a former third-round pick of the Titans back in 2017. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.175 million contract when he agreed to a four–year, $50 million deal that included $31.25 million fully guaranteed with the Patriots.
The Patriots then traded Smith to the Falcons in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick back in March of 2023. Atlanta cut him loose last offseason, and he signed a two-year, $8.4 million deal with the Dolphins
In 2024, Smith appeared in all 17 games for the Dolphins and caught 88 passes for 884 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.
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