Jonnu Smith Thrives with Miami Dolphins After Departure from Patriots

Jonnu Smith has emerged as a standout pass-catcher following his departure from the New England Patriots. Now with the Miami Dolphins under the guidance of head coach Mike McDaniel, Smith is enjoying what is shaping up to be a career-best season. In his latest outing, the tight end amassed 39 receptions out of 52 targets, leading to 448 receiving yards and scoring three touchdowns over 10 games, which includes an impressive 100-yard performance during Week 11.

Praising Smith’s contribution to the Dolphins, New England Patriots’ head coach Jerod Mayo mentioned Smith by name when discussing the strength of the Dolphins’ offense before the two teams meet in Week 12 at Hard Rock Stadium. «Jonnu (Smith) is doing a good job and has been coming on as of late as far as his run-after-catch stuff,» Mayo stated during a press briefing at Gillette Stadium, as shared in a video provided by the team. «So, doing a good job for them there.»

Smith transitioned to the Dolphins following two underwhelming seasons with the Patriots, where he was part of a much-criticized signing during the Bill Belichick era. The Patriots traded Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for a seventh-round draft pick, after which he had a relatively productive season, totaling 50 receptions for 582 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games with Atlanta. This surpassed his statistics from two years with New England, where he managed 55 receptions, 539 yards, and a single touchdown over 30 games.

Originally drafted in the third round in 2017, Smith was a notable signing for New England during its 2021 free-agency spree. Despite his struggles with the Patriots, his subsequent move to Miami has proved fruitful, not only for his career statistics but also for his role in a high-power Dolphins offense, alongside another significant free-agent signing, tight end Hunter Henry.