On Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons moved to part ways with veteran tight end Jonnu Smith.
Smith, 28, played just one season with the Falcons. During the 2023 season, he recorded 50 receptions for 582 yards. He scored three receiving touchdowns also, a confidence-inducing step-up from scoring zero touchdowns during the 2022 season with the New England Patriots.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported the news.
Falcons are releasing veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, per source.
Smith caught 50 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns last season. pic.twitter.com/gMRSE6jCKi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2024
Smith signed a two-year deal with the Falcons that the team will move on from. They will eat $2.5 million in dead cap in the 2024 season. They paid Smith $8.5 million last season. That included a base of $3.5 million and a $5 million restructure bonus.
Through seven seasons in the NFL, Smith made $39,816,978.
It’s probably not the end of the line for the 28-year-old Smith. He’s shown enough talent and promise as a No. 2 tight end throughout his career that he likely still has enough legs to stand on. After all, his 50 receptions last season were a career-high, besting the 41 he recorded in 2020 with the Tennessee Titans. That season, Smith posted a career-best eight receiving touchdowns as well. That earned him a contract with the Patriots, where he played for two seasons.
The Falcons might look quite different next season. Atlanta hired Raheem Morris to replace Arthur Smith as head coach. They’ve made a few changes elsewhere, and might draft a quarterback this April. So we’ll see where everything lands for them.
