Source: TE Jonnu Smith, Dolphins agree to two-year deal
The Dolphins have struggled to get production out of the tight end position under coach Mike McDaniel. Mike Gesicki led Miami tight ends with 362 yards in 2022 and Durham Smythe did so with 366 yards last season.
Miami addressed the position last offseason, drafting Elijah Higgins in the sixth round. But he did not make the 53-man roster, with the spot instead going to undrafted free agent Julian Hill.
Smith slots in as the Dolphins’ best receiving tight end, with Hill operating as more of a blocker and Smythe operating in a hybrid role.
Smith, 28, was released by the Atlanta Falcons last week, less than a year after they acquired him from the New England Patriots.
The Falcons moved on from Smith after he posted career highs in receptions (50) and yards (582) in Atlanta’s offense under former coach Arthur Smith last season. There had been a familiarity between Arthur Smith and Jonnu Smith from their time in Tennessee together from 2017 to 2020.
Smith, a third-round pick in the 2017 draft by Tennessee, has played in 107 games, making 78 starts. He has caught 219 passes for 2,423 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career between the Titans, Patriots and Falcons.
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and Michael Rothstein contributed to this report.