Falcons cut TE Jonnu Smith

Smith enjoyed a productive year with Arthur Smith’s Falcons, but a change in the coaching staff leads to his exit.

The Atlanta Falcons have cap space, but always figured to open up more of it ahead of free agency as they look to re-tool their roster under a new head coach. The first such move came on Tuesday, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Falcons have released tight end Jonnu Smith.

That marks the end of a brief but productive Falcons tenure for the 28-year-old Smith, who was traded to Atlanta from the New England Patriots for a paltry seventh round pick. Smith was reunited with Arthur Smith, his offensive coordinator in Tennessee, and flourished after a couple of disappointing seasons in New England, posting a career-high 50 catches and 582 yards to go with three touchdown grabs.

While that year revitalized his career and will likely earn him a spot elsewhere, there were reasons to think Smith would not return to the Falcons in 2024. Chief among them was Arthur Smith’s exit after he was fired, given that he obviously is one of Jonnu Smith’s champions, but the fact that Smith had a $9 million salary coming up in 2024 with only $2.5 million in dead money if he was cut suggested that outcome as well.

Smith may well get a look with Arthur Smith in Pittsburgh, where the coach landed as the new Steelers offensive coordinator, but if not should find suitors after showing quality hands and the yards after the catch ability that made him so successful in Tennessee. We wish him well wherever he may land, because even in a lost season, Smith managed some nice plays as one of the team’s most productive receiving options.

For the Falcons, the tight end picture is less rosy after Smith’s release, meaning they’ll certainly add to the position in the coming months. Right now, Kyle Pitts should be fully healthy heading into 2024 and remains a formidable pass catching option who has yet to reach his full potential, but beyond him there are only unproven options under contract. Expect the team to look hard at the draft and free agency for a second tight end, with former Georgia product and productive blocker John FitzPatrick likely to step into the third tight end role in 2024.