Pats sign TE Jonnu Smith

Mooch

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,494
Top of my wishlist at the position. When Smith is healthy, he's a game-changing type player if deployed the right way. Tremendous add for the Pats.
 

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,619
CT
I think Smith is underrated and probably underutilized due to the Titans run first identity. That’s a good signing.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,460
Wow, that feels like a pretty massive overpay, that makes him what, the 3rd or 4th best paid TE in the league?
 

boca

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
509
Woah that's a lot of money! Love seeing the Pats make a splash but yeah...woah
 

JM3

often quoted
SoSH Member
Dec 14, 2019
14,283
Wow, that feels like a pretty massive overpay, that makes him what, the 3rd or 4th best paid TE in the league?
A lot depends on the structure, but it's probably a slight overpay. The comp I saw tossed around was Austin Hooper's 4/$42m last year.
 

Mooch

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,494
A lot depends on the structure, but it's probably a slight overpay. The comp I saw tossed around was Austin Hooper's 4/$42m last year.
PFF suggested his value was $10.1M per year over the next two seasons. I'd bet that the Pats figures will be somewhere around that number for '21 and '22.
 

JM3

often quoted
SoSH Member
Dec 14, 2019
14,283
A lot depends on the structure, but it's probably a slight overpay. The comp I saw tossed around was Austin Hooper's 4/$42m last year.
I'd much rather have Smith than Hooper, but Hooper had been a more productive receiver & I thought he was a large overpay last off season.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,460
I wonder if they proffered this deal to both guys -- first one to sign gets it.
I think Bellichick would prefer Smith, way less track record as a receiving threat, but he's definitely a much better blocker. Henry is a WR masquerading as a TE.
 

sodenj5

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
6,619
CT
Until Hunter Henry’s deal is signed, that is.
Honest question, and not to derail the thread, but is Henry worth a big deal? I just don’t see it. Like huge medical red flags. I would definitely take Smith over Hunter Henry if they sign for similar dollars.
 

DourDoerr

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Oct 15, 2004
2,937
Berkeley, CA
Great competition/mentor for the young TE's in the room. Nice. Hope they get a WR next and shore up the positions that vex them in the draft.
 

JM3

often quoted
SoSH Member
Dec 14, 2019
14,283
PFF suggested his value was $10.1M per year over the next two seasons. I'd bet that the Pats figures will be somewhere around that number for '21 and '22.
Yeah, I definitely don't hate it at all & I'm happy they did it, I think. But it's a full price contract which hopefully he can live up to.

Adding a guy who can block + catch is essential to the balance of the offense.
 

Mooch

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,494
I've seen some sets where the Titans lined Smith up as an H Back and run him out of those sets too. I'm sure Josh McD will have fun with that.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,291
Nice to get a guy that you already know can fit in a run-heavy offense, but has also flashed potential for more and can still be a fit if/when the passing O turns things around.

edit: Add me to the Samuel chorus—another good fit who has flashed potential beyond his raw stats and may have been underutilized (but would still be solid as is).
 

NJ_Sox_Fan

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 2, 2006
10,736
NJ
This is a great signing. I cannot fathom why anyone would not like this? Exactly the type of player the Pats need.

And @SeoulSoxFan, agree 1000% on Samuel - another perfect fit here IMO.
 

RG33

Certain Class of Poster
SoSH Member
Nov 28, 2005
7,199
CA
Absolutely LOVE this signing. He was my #1 get for FA. Gives them a young, durable, solid 2-way TE, and allows the hopeful trickle-down effect to happen th Asiasi and Keene where the former is the receiving threat/slot version and Keene is officially the h-back/slot receiving threat. Gives them a lot of options to work with.
 

Eck'sSneakyCheese

Member
SoSH Member
May 11, 2011
10,391
NH
Absolutely LOVE this signing. He was my #1 get for FA. Gives them a young, durable, solid 2-way TE, and allows the hopeful trickle-down effect to happen th Asiasi and Keene where the former is the receiving threat/slot version and Keene is officially the h-back/slot receiving threat. Gives them a lot of options to work with.
My thoughts exactly. Didn't think we had a chance to get Smith. Surprised Tennessee let him go. Very, very pleased with this signing. Just need a couple WR's and we're on to 2021.
 

azsoxpatsfan

Does not enjoy the go
SoSH Member
May 23, 2014
4,774
I thought I had read the opposite elsewhere.

The video SSF posted made me see Jonnu more as a Hernandez-type (less the murdering).
Hernendez is who I thought of too. Especially taking carries out of the backfield, Hernandez did that a few times
 

mwonow

Member
SoSH Member
Sep 4, 2005
7,095
Guy seems like a real asset as a human, and going from a black hole to a top-tier TE is great. But...yeesh. Three major knee injuries already?
 

Saints Rest

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/titans-decide-not-to-franchise-tag-rising-tight-end-jonnu-smith-opening-free-agent-window/
You may be thinking of the articles about them not tagging him and the assumption they wouldn't pay him. No release though.
No, it was Bedard over the weekend:
Need #3: Starting Y (in-line) TE

1. Hunter Henry, Chargers ($$$$)
: The top two guys are equally great in different ways, and you can have your pick. Perhaps you pit them against each other. I’m going with Henry because if I’m going to pay near the top of the TE market (below George Kittle and Travis Kelce at around $15 million) then I want an all-around player who can really block when my team needs to just pound the ball. That’s Henry, not the next guy.

2. Jonnu Smith, Titans ($$$$): Terrific athletic playmaker down the field as a TE/WR. Will be a star in the right offense, and this could be it. Just a bit of a one-trick pony.
 

RorschachsMask

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2011
5,203
Lynn
Belichick said ahead of the 2019 playoff game against the Titans. “Can do a lot of things. Blocks well. Runs well. Is a good receiver. Played him at tailback, he looked pretty good back there. He’s a very athletic player. Hard to tackle. Catches the ball well.
“(He’s) great after the catch, probably the best in the league. I mean, I can’t imagine anyone better than him after the catch.”
https://www.radio.com/weei/sports/patriots/nfl-rumors-patriots-agree-to-deal-with-te-jonnu-smith
 

E5 Yaz

Transcends message boarding
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Apr 25, 2002
90,017
Oregon
Millions of posts in this forum suddenly cried out then suddenly went silent.
You don't understand ... it's a massive overpay for a guy whose had three major knee injuries
 

BigJimEd

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 4, 2002
4,432
I thought I had read the opposite elsewhere.

The video SSF posted made me see Jonnu more as a Hernandez-type (less the murdering).
According to this note from Kyed, PFF had Henry graded higher as a blocker. That seemed to be the general consensus going into FA that I saw.

PFF has graded Henry as the better blocker throughout his career, but both players are competitive in that aspect of their games and big enough to get in the way of defenders.
 

Mooch

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,494
Bedard says Henry is the better blocker???
That can't be right. When Taylor Lewan tore his ACL, they were using Smith almost exclusively as a blocker in the run game on that side of the line and he was more than capable.
 

Kliq

Member
SoSH Member
Mar 31, 2013
22,671
I'm a little surprised simply because of the draft investment the Pats made at the TE position last season; clearly I don't think BB sees much in Asasi or Keene as potential top options at TE. Something this team desperately needed post-Gronk was just a big body that could make contested grabs in the red zone, and Smith has shown the ability to do that.
 

DJnVa

Dorito Dawg
SoSH Member
Dec 16, 2010
53,841
Man, our TE room is YOUNG.

I'm a little surprised simply because of the draft investment the Pats made at the TE position last season; clearly I don't think BB sees much in Asasi or Keene as potential top options at TE. Something this team desperately needed post-Gronk was just a big body that could make contested grabs in the red zone, and Smith has shown the ability to do that.
I think they see Keane as something slightly different from a TE. He'll lineup up there, but I think he's going to be doing other things.