Source – Steelers renew talks with Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith

Source – Steelers renew talks with Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith

The Pittsburgh Steelers renewed conversations Tuesday with Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith, who is seeking a new contract, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The development brings new life to a possible trade between the Steelers and Dolphins after sources had told Schefter earlier Tuesday that a trade was not expected to be completed.

Sources also told Schefter earlier Tuesday that the team will host free agent wide receiver Gabe Davis on a visit this week. Davis was scheduled to travel to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to visit with the Steelers on Thursday, the sources told Schefter.

Smith, 29, expressed interest to the Dolphins in reworking the two-year deal he signed last offseason, which would pay him $4.8 million in 2025, sources told Schefter.

Drew Rosenhaus, Smith’s agent, said Sunday night that his client’s “first choice” was to remain with the Dolphins.

“Here’s what I will say on behalf of my client: Jonnu would definitely like to stay in Miami. That’s his first choice,” Rosenhaus said in his weekly appearance on WSVN-TV, according to the Miami Herald. “This is where he lives in the offseason. He had a record-breaking season last year. It was the best season ever for a Miami Dolphin tight end. … He broke the team record for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns for a tight end and was the team’s single Pro Bowl player. He’s an incredibly valuable part of this team. … He went to college at FIU. His dream team is the Dolphins.

“Hopefully, everything works out where he can stay in Miami.”

Smith set franchise records for receptions (88) and receiving yards (884) by a tight end last season en route to his first career Pro Bowl selection. He led all Dolphins players in receptions in his first year with the team and finished behind only Brock Bowers, Trey McBride and George Kittle leaguewide in receiving yards by a tight end.

The Steelers’ interest in Smith is rooted in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s longstanding relationship with the tight end. Arthur Smith was Jonnu Smith’s tight ends coach and offensive coordinator in Tennessee, and Arthur Smith later traded for his former player during his stint as the Falcons’ head coach.

The Steelers are in search for receiving help after trading George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.

The Steelers, though, don’t have a glaring need at tight end. They signed 2021 second-round pick Pat Freiermuth to a four-year, $48 million extension last offseason and also return 2023 third-round pick Darnell Washington and 2022 sixth-round tight end/fullback Connor Heyward. Pittsburgh signed former Chargers tight end Donald Parham Jr., who has 11 career touchdowns, earlier this offseason.

The Steelers carried four tight ends on their 53-man roster last season. The lone departure from that group was MyCole Pruitt, who wasn’t re-signed after initially joining the team on a one-year contract last season.

ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and Brooke Pryor contributed to this report.

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