Jonnu Smith is a free agent, and this time he can’t rejoin Arthur Smith. A former third-round pick by the Titans out of Florida International in 2017, he spent a productive four seasons in Tennessee before joining the Patriots for two years. Since then, he’s played for the Falcons, Dolphins, and Steelers, with his 2024 season in Miami being the best of his career with 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns.

Smith is a bigger body at the tight end position, someone who is comfortable playing in-line on the line of scrimmage. He’s more of a receiving weapon than a blocking tight end, though, with good after-the-catch production and the flexibility to line up all over the formation. Teams that want to sign Smith will be looking to add his prowess as a receiver, not bolster their run game.

Smith is coming off the worst season of his career since his early days with the Titans. His time in Pittsburgh didn’t go well, partially because of the crowded tight end depth chart there and also because of the (at times) anemic Steelers offense. Smith is getting older, though, and his best days may now be behind him.

In terms of his contract, he’s almost certainly looking at a one-year deal, probably in the $5 million range.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns are very thin at tight end. 2025 third-round pick Harold Fannin Jr. had a fantastic rookie season, with 72 receptions for 731 yards and seven touchdowns despite questions about his ability to translate his college production and playstyle to the NFL. Those questions have been answered, emphatically, but it gets thin quickly behind him in Cleveland.

David Njoku is now in Los Angeles with the Chargers. Gone is the Browns’ do-it-all in-line tight end, a factor in the receiving game and a capable blocker on the line of scrimmage. They don’t have a guy like that right now, with Jack Stoll and 2026 fifth-round pick Joe Royer as Fannin’s primary backups. Fannin himself is a move tight end who’s a weapon in the receiving game but extremely undersized to block on the end of the line of scrimmage.

Smith isn’t exactly a plus blocker at the position — that’s what they brought Stoll in for — but he is a bigger body who can play in-line and still impact the receiving game. Unless Royer is ahead of schedule, the Browns need another receiving option at tight end opposite Fannin to run two-tight end looks with multiple receiving threats.

Tennessee Titans

No, Arthur Smith isn’t there anymore, but the Titans could still use a tight end. Gunnar Helm is coming off a solid rookie season and is penciled in as the starter, but the most notable name behind him on the depth chart is Daniel Bellinger, who just finished out his rookie contract with the Giants. Bellinger has just 88 career receptions and has never topped more than 300 receiving yards in a single season.

The point is, the Titans are thin on depth at the tight end position and even Helm is largely unproven in a productive offense. It’s a big year for 2025 No. 1 overall pick QB Cam Ward in his second season — his rookie year was rocky, without many high points, but he also didn’t have much to work with. Now he has a new head coach, offensive coordinator, and top receiving options (No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate and free agent signee Wan’Dale Robinson).

Why not continue to build around Ward? Smith could come in on an affordable one-year deal to play second fiddle to Helm. If Helm struggles in his sophomore season, Smith has the proven ability to handle more offensive responsibility should he be asked to. It would be a return to Tennessee for Smith, if he’s willing.

Denver Broncos

It’s no secret that the Broncos are searching for upgrades at tight end. Evan Engram was the guy in 2025, and he had just 461 receiving yards on 50 catches. Broncos HC Sean Payton hasn’t been shy about his dissatisfaction with the tight end position since he arrived in Denver, and Engram was supposed to fix that. He didn’t, at least not last season, and the only major addition the team made at tight end this offseason was drafting Justin Joly in the fifth round.

I don’t know that Smith would be an upgrade from Engram, but he’d certainly be another option. And he might fit Payton’s offense better than Engram does. Adam Trautman, a favorite of Payton’s, is also in Denver. But he’s never beaten the 27 receptions for 263 yards he had in New Orleans in 2021, and for the most part he’s been a tertiary tight end option for the bulk of his career.

Profile-wise, Smith is very similar to Engram, Trautman, and Joly. But he’s arguably the best of the bunch at this point in their respective careers and he’s bigger than all of them, as well. He can play in-line more effectively than Engram and those over-the-middle, catch-and-run routes are his bread and butter, a good fit with Payton and Broncos QB Bo Nix. It wouldn’t necessarily be the talent upgrade they’ve been searching for, but signing Smith would give the Broncos another option at a position of weakness.

Other teams to watch: Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers