The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of options in free agency and have had name after name linked to them as possible signings. But the release of one tight end may make too much sense for them to pass up.
With Arthur Smith calling the shots within the offense, the Steelers have already started filling some of their openings with former coaches of his. To this point, they’ve added two former assistants from his Atlanta Falcons staff. Next could be the addition of a veteran tight end.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Falcons are releasing veteran Jonnu Smith after just one season in Atlanta. Immediately, Field Yates said Smith makes sense for the Steelers as a landing spot.
Arthur Smith is expected to utilize his running backs and tight ends in his offensive scheme, maximizing his big bodies in his play calls. If he’s looking for another pass-catching tight end, Jonnu Smith might make sense.
He’s also a big fan of Smith as a tight end option.
“We’ve got a lot of weapons, and Jonnu is somebody that’s made plays in big-time games, and he’s been good. So when you’ve got a lot of belief, okay, pick your poison, and Jonnu is one of those guys, he’s a great catch-and-run player. He’s hard to tackle. Glad he’s here,” Arthur said on Jonnu last season.
The only hiccup in Yate’s thought process is whether or not the Steelers are trying to expand Darnell Washington’s and Connor Heyward’s roles. Washington is likely just a blocking tight end, but Heyward is a receiving option and works well as a No. 2 behind Pat Freiermuth.
Still, the more options, the better. The Steelers kept four tight ends on their roster for most of the 2023 season, and Smith is coming off a career-high year with the Falcons, catching 50 passes for 582 yards and three touchdowns.
Adding a veteran play-maker to their roster won’t hurt anything, and if the connection is there between Arthur and Jonnu, maybe it does make sense for the Steelers to explore the signing.
