Is TE Jonnu Smith a perfect fit for Bengals?

Following Zac Taylor’s resignation as head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, the tight end position has become a carousel. Duke Tobin, Director of Player Personnel, added that they hope to alter that moving ahead.

This supports the theory that they want to select a player who is likely to stick around for a while. That does not eliminate a player such as Jonnu Smith, a tight end. Admittedly, he adheres closer to the same principle than they do, looking at highly qualified candidates who require an opportunity to show themselves. They signed Hayden Hurst, and that succeeded, but Irv Smith Jr. was a bust.

Over the course of four years, Jonnu Smith started 53 games while playing with the Titans. He never really had a season to remember. 2020 was his most noteworthy year, with 41 receptions for 488 yards. The eight touchdowns are what capture people’s attention. To be fair, with running back Derrick Henry at the center of the attack, this was a run-heavy offense that ended up ranking 20th among tight end receiving yards in the same season.

Smith signed a massive four-year $50 million contract with $31 million guaranteed from the New England Patriots, which is presumably why you feel like you recognize his name from somewhere. He was signed in the post-Tom Brady era, and it was evident that quarterback Mac Jones did not particularly try to use Smith, as he barely reached 50 catches and 500 yards with one touchdown in his two seasons in New England before being traded for a seventh-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons.

Smith recorded a career-high 50 catches and 582 yards after being reunited with Arthur Smith, one of his coaches with the Titans. Smith appeared to be more at ease. Ask fantasy football owners who owned Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts, and you might hear that Smith’s heavy usage of Pitts—a talented young player the team selected with a top-5 pick—was detrimental to Smith. Smith was ultimately let go, so it’s hardly shocking that he became a cap casualty.

We should also take into account the fact that Ryan Tannehill was Smith’s finest quarterback in 2020. Since then, in addition to being TE2, he has had Tyler Heinicke, Jones, and the Desmond Ridder (sorry, Bearcat fans).

There is no denying the skill there, and it appears that the position will be manned by a few players who have also been up and down the league. Smith has never had a particularly good season, but given that he just had a career year, he might still be beyond the Bengals’ budget at the position. He won’t benefit from a big contract, but the Bengals have a history of selecting players who are at the bottom of the draft class.

In this free agency class, the team won’t locate a player with enough money to support them for a multi-year contract. Though it is traditionally a slower position to acclimate to, they will need a person who can potentially fill the gap for a potential rookie to develop or transition to the NFL. If the Bengals are prepared to spend a little bit more than they did the last two seasons, Smith fits that description.