NFL insider Jordan Schultz is reporting that the Green Bay Packers are signing tight end Jonnu Smith, who has previous experience playing for Packers head coach Matt LaFleur when they were together with the Tennessee Titans. This report has been confirmed by other news breakers like ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Smith will join the Packers on a one-year deal, according to reports, as the former Pro Bowl tight end just turned 31 years old. Smith has been a part-time starter over the last four seasons, each
with a different team: the New England Patriots, the Atlanta Falcons, the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. In total, the Packers will be Team #7 for Smith in his NFL career.
Smith’s playing style is that of a hybrid ball-in-hand tight end-fullback, as he tends to be off the ball more than in an in-line position. What makes this addition interesting is that the Packers are likely to keep Tucker Kraft (who has been discussed as starting the season on a pitch count) and Josh Whyle (who is also in a similar mold as Smith), with Luke Musgrave starting the season on the physically unable to perform list with a neck injury.
Smith’s addition likely displaces Drake Dabney on the 53-man roster, but the Packers may still go shopping for a true Y behind Kraft, something they lack right now, with Whyle’s roster spot after cutdowns.
The FIU product is a vested veteran, meaning that his salary will be fully guaranteed once he makes Green Bay’s roster in Week 1. Notably, Smith hasn’t been a special teams contributor, as he’s played just five snaps in the kicking game over the last three seasons, compared to 1,815 snaps on offense.
So far, there have been no contract details to the Smith signing, other than it’s a one-year contract.
