The Pittsburgh Steelers have a desperate need at wide receiver, as the team recently traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys and lacks starting-caliber players at the position outside of DK Metcalf, who Pittsburgh acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the offseason.
Though the Steelers must add another receiver to the roster before the season, it looks like general manager Omar Khan is more focused on bolstering the tight end room. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh has had talks with the Miami Dolphins regarding Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith, who is in the final year of his deal and is seeking a reworked contract.
“The Dolphins have had trade discussions with the Pittsburgh Steelers about their lone Pro-Bowl selection last season, tight end Jonnu Smith, per league sources. Those talks came after Smith expressed an interest in reworking his deal that is scheduled to pay him $4.8 million this season. With Smith seeking a new contract, Miami has sought a trade partner. Last season, Smith set the franchise record for a tight end in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Smith’s preference, per sources, is to stay in Miami under a reworked deal,” Schefter wrote on X.
Smith is coming off a career year in 2024, as the veteran tallied career highs in catches (88) and yards (884) and also tied his career-high in touchdowns (8). The 29-year-old established himself as a reliable target for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and earned his first Pro Bowl nod in his eighth season.
Though the Steelers already have a solid starting tight end in Pat Freiermuth and decent depth behind him in Darnell Washington, Smith would be a fantastic addition to the offense. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith coached Smith during their times with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons, so he’s very familiar with the dynamic tight end.
We’ll see if the Steelers end up finalizing this trade for Smith, but it’s very interesting that they’re focused on tight end over wide receiver.
