Steelers Now
Miami Dolphins color analyst Joe Rose believes the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting a steal in tight end Jonnu Smith.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking to add another weapon on offense since trading wide receiver George Pickens in May. That’s exactly what they did on Monday as they acquired Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith as part of their blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins.
Dolphins color analyst Joe Rose is confident the Steelers won’t have any buyer’s remorse with Smith, either.
“He’s as good as any pass-catching tight end in the NFL, Kelce included,” Rose said on Pittsburgh’s 93.7 The Fan. “He’s a first down machine. He won the Dolphins some games by himself.”
Smith, 29, is coming off the best season of his eight-year NFL career. In 2024, he recorded a career-high 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.
However, Pittsburgh is gambling that Smith’s 2024 campaign is not an outlier. The team also agreed to give him a one-year, $12 million extension as part of the trade. Smith was scheduled to make just $4.8 million this season.
Smith replicating the production he had a season ago won’t be easy. He will have to split targets with fellow tight end Pat Freiermith, who just signed a four-year, $48.4 million contract extension last offseason, and new Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf.
Smith already has a connection with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, though. The two spent time together with the Tennessee Titans from 2017-20 and then most recently with the Atlanta Falcons (2023), so Smith’s transition to Pittsburgh should go smoothly.
Smith began his NFL career as a third-round pick (No. 100 overall) by the Titans in the 2017 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons in Tennessee before joining the New England Patriots for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
The 6-foot-3, 248-pound tight end then signed with the Falcons to reunite with Smith in Atlanta before heading to the Dolphins last year.
Smith has 307 receptions for 3,307 yards and 28 touchdowns in his professional career.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Dolphins Analyst Has High Praise For New Steelers TE Jonnu Smith
