Jonnu Smith: Massive volume in Thanksgiving loss

How do Jonnu Smith’s 2024 advanced stats compare to other tight ends?

This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player’s percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.

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See where Jonnu Smith lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.

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Smith, a 2017 third-round pick of the Titans, caught 114 passes for 1,302 yards and 16 touchdowns over four seasons in Tennessee, including a career-high 2020 in which he finished with a 41-448-8 line on 65 targets. Upon joining New England in 2021, he found the end zone just once in 30 games while operating in a timeshare at tight end with Hunter Henry. This offseason, he was traded to Atlanta for a seventh-round pick. Once Kyle Pitts recovers from a knee injury, Smith will operate as a backup, but either way, he figures to play a prominent role for the Falcons, who utilize multiple TE sets.

In their quest to provide a jolt to their tight end corps last offseason, the Patriots doubled down at the position in free agency, with Smith getting a four-year, $50 million deal ($31.25 million guaranteed) and Hunter Henry signing for three years at $37.5 million ($24 million guaranteed). In his first season with the team, Smith finished with 28 catches (on 45 targets) for 294 yards and a touchdown to go along with nine carries for 40 yards over 16 games, while operating in a timeshare that leaned in Henry’s favor. With New England seemingly moving away from employing a traditional fullback in 2022, Smith could see added opportunities with a potential uptick in two-tight end sets, as well as the possibility that he could take on a share of fullback/H-back duties with Jakob Johnson no longer in the mix. If that’s the case, Smith could gain added fantasy relevance, but as long as he and Henry share snaps, it’ll be hard to count on steady volume for the 2017 third-rounder.

From a fantasy standpoint, it never quite happened for Smith in Tennessee, where the majority of his snaps came on run plays. The 2017 third-round pick didn’t get many chances to use his 4.62 speed on downfield routes, but he did earn a reputation as one of the league’s best after the catch, averaging 9.0 YAC in 2018 and 7.8 in 2019. Smith then dropped to 5.8 YAC (still fifth most among TEs) on 41 receptions in 2020, with his aDOT landing in the 5.2-5.5 range for a third consecutive year. He’s proven himself as a capable blocker and a menace in the flats, but the Patriots might want to see if Smith can also add an intermediate/downfield component after signing a four-year, $50 million contract. We’d be more bullish on that prospect if the team hadn’t also signed Hunter Henry, who has more experience working the seam. Then there’s the matter of a shaky QB situation, and the potential for a run-first offense with rookie Mac Jones under center.

From a non-fantasy standpoint, Smith took a third-year leap in 2019, enjoying career highs in targets, yards and YPT while leading tight ends in YAC (8.3) and dropping just one pass. He even added four carries for 78 yards, including a 57-yard rumble against Houston. Smith started 14 of his 16 games and played at least 72 percent of snaps every week after Delanie Walker suffered a season-ending injury in October. Unfortunately, the steady playing time and impressive efficiency didn’t translate to consistent production, as Smith averaged 30.9 receiving yards on 3.7 targets in nine regular-season games with Walker inactive, before seeing only nine targets in three playoff bouts. Part of the problem was a run-heavy Titans offense that averaged 27 pass attempts in Ryan Tannehill’s 10 starts, but there was also the matter of Anthony Firkser poaching some work on passing downs, plus Smith’s 79 pass-blocking snaps tied for ninth most among tight ends. While his after-the-catch brilliance seemingly demands more receiving work, there hasn’t been much sign of Smith doing damage downfield, with his 5.0-yard average depth of target in 2019 ranking fourth to last among TEs (and up a tick from 4.9 in 2018). There’s little doubt Smith would be a reliable producer in a number of NFL offenses; it just isn’t clear this is one of them.

Smith was drafted in the third round of the 2017 draft as a highly athletic tight end. He combined that with strong college production at Florida Atlantic. A pro breakout seemed possible in 2018 after Delanie Walker (ankle) went down for the season in the first game of the campaign, but Smith hardly built on his rookie season numbers by catching 20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns. With Walker expected to return healthy for the 2019 season and the Titans’ adding weapons to their passing attack this offseason, Smith will face an uphill battle to break out despite his untapped upside.

Ironically drawing Delanie Walker comparisons during the pre-draft process in 2017, Smith was ultimately selected by Tennessee in the third round of the draft to play second-fiddle to the 13-year vet. The Florida State product ended up seeing consistent playing time in that role, faring well as both a blocker and receiver. However, with Walker still heading the depth chart, there doesn’t appear to be much room for growth for Smith in 2018. That could change if Walker deals with any injuries, but Smith’s mentor hasn’t missed more than one game in any of his past seven seasons.

Smith is expected to work as the No. 2 tight end behind Delanie Walker from the get-go, as Anthony Fasano’s departure leaves just 2014 second-round bust Jace Amaro and blocking specialist Phillip Supernaw to challenge him for that spot. The rookie third-rounder out of Florida International is already a more complete player than either of those options, and is positioned to make an immediate impact for a team that used multiple tight end formations at an above-average clip last season.