The biggest deficiency in what was generally an excellent Miami Dolphins offense last year was the tight end position. Led by Durham Smythe, that group accounted for just 9% of all Dolphins receiving yards (414) in 2023.
Expect that to change in 2024 with the addition of Jonnu Smith, who on Thursday agreed to a two-year deal with the Dolphins reportedly worth up to $10 million.
Miami Dolphins’ Jonnu Smith Free Agency Grade
It’s important to note that we won’t know the true nature of Smith’s deal until it is filed with the league and the union.
But even if Smith hits all of his reported incentives, his $5 million AAV would still rank just 22nd among all tight ends.
In other words, that’s excellent value for a player who, among TEs in 2023, ranked third in yards after catch (7.1), sixth in yards per catch (11.6), 15th in receiving yards (582), 19th in catches (50), and tied for 15th in touchdowns (3).
Assuming he meets Mike McDaniel’s standards for blocking, expect Smith to have a bigger role than Mike Gesicki did in 2022, when he caught just 32 passes for 362 yards and five TDs and was on the field for less than half of Miami’s offensive snaps.
Smith’s presence in the passing game will also keep defensive coordinators honest. They now cannot focus only on Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in the passing game; those two players accounted for 44.5% of all Dolphins targets in 2023.
What’s more, the addition of Smith, 28, takes some of the pressure off Chris Grier in finding a legit No. 3 wide receiver, which is another Dolphins need.
KEEP READING: 2024 NFL Top 100 Free Agent Rankings
Between Hill, Waddle, Smith, Smythe, and the versatile Dolphins’ running backs, Tua Tagovailoa won’t lack for targets in the passing game.
One more point in Smith’s favor: He’s durable. He has appeared in 78 of a possible 83 games over the last five seasons.
Grade: A-
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