Patriots Reuniting With Former TE is Perfect Gamble as Offseason Slows Down
Remember when the New England Patriots splurged in free agency back in 2021 and signed both Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith? It didn't work out, as Smith lasted just two seasons before getting traded to the Atlanta Falcons ahead of the 2023 season.
Since leaving New England, Smith has bounced around the league on a yearly basis. After one season with the Falcons, he spent one season with the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was recently relased this past offseason and has remained unsigned.
Do the Patriots want to rekindle the magic of that 2021 offseason and bring the 30-year-old Smith back? It may seem like a bizarre signing, but it could make sense.
The Patriots lost backup tight end Julian Hill to a season-ending injury earlier in the offseason. Now, the tight room will consist (likely) of Henry, rookie Eli Raridon and ... who else? New England has options currently on the roster, but neither of them have caught a pass in the NFL. CJ Dippre is entering his second season with the Patriots, while undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin projects more as a pure blocking tight end.
Throughout his career, Smith has been used as a chess piece on offense. He spent his first year with the Patriots under offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, so the terminology won't be totally new. Based on how he looked in Miami and Pittsburgh, there's still a little bit of juice left in the tank.
Smith Is Familiar With Several Patriots Coaches
Oh, and he played under Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans for three seasons. If the team wants to bring in a familiar face, there isn't one more familiar on the open market.
"A motion/movement tight end, Smith was released by the Steelers," ESPN's Matt Bowen wrote. "He can impact the pass game in a system that caters to his alignment versatility and ability to run after the catch. Smith had 38 receptions in Pittsburgh last season, and 68.4% of his career receiving totals have come after the catch."
The Patriots have totally revamped their offense this past offseason, bringing in Alijah Vera-Tucker, AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs to help elevate the unit around quarterback Drake Maye. Smith has been a good player in the NFL since being drafted in the third round back in 2017 (everywhere but New England, it seems), and could be a nice addition.
In two years in New England, Smith played in 30 games and caught 55 passes. He racked up 539 yards and just one touchdown (which came in a loss to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
"We'll Probably Have To Evaluate The Numbers"
Heading into training camp, the Patriots are aware they have a need at the position.
"I think just from a numbers standpoint in camp, I think that's somewhere we'll probably have to evaluate the numbers," Vrabel said at mandatory minicamp. "There's 90 guys, 91 guys on every team. So, we'll just have to take a look at that, but I would say that's probably somewhere where we would have to address."
For now, the Patriots will have Henry and Raridon be the top targets this summer. But Henry is entering a contract season and Raridon is a little bit of an unknown coming out of college. There may not be a harm in bringing in Smith to see how much he has left in the tank.
He also shouldn't cost too much on the Patriots' wallets. When he signed with the Dolphins, he inked a two-year deal worth $8.4 million. When he arrived in Pittsburgh, he signed a $16 million deal over two seasons. The Patriots could easily give him a one-year, prove-it deal in the $7-8 million range and not have to worry about blowing up their finances.
After what was a disappointing first stint with the Patriots, Smith has the change to rewrite history -- and help improve the team's offense in the process this season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots Reuniting With Former TE is Perfect Gamble as Offseason Slows Down.
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This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 10:08 AM.