Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith wants a new contract and has been the subject of trade talks with Pittsburgh.
While agent Drew Rosenhaus did not specifically address those issues in his weekly TV segment late Sunday night, he made clear that Smith wants to remain a Dolphin.
“Here’s what I will say on behalf of my client: Jonnu would definitely like to stay in Miami,” Rosenhaus said on WSVN-7. “That’s his first choice. This is where he lives in the off-season. 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.”
The Dolphins spoke to the Steelers after Smith conveyed that he wants a new contract, replacing the one that’s due to pay him $4.8 million this season in the final year of a two-year deal.
Smith, 29, caught 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns last season, his first with the Dolphins.
Miami has been seeking a trade partner instead of agreeing to Smith’s request for a new contract, ESPN reported.
If the Dolphins trade Smith and do not get a tight end in return, their tight end room would feature only journeyman Pharoah Brown, Julian Hill, Tanner Conner and undrafted rookie Jaylin Conyers.
Veteran free agent tight ends still available include, among others, Jordan Akins (40 catches for 390 yards for Cleveland last season) and Hayden Hurst (8 for 73 for the Chargers).
The Athletic reported that the Raiders are open to trading tight end Michael Mayer, whose playing time diminished last year after Las Vegas drafted Brock Bowers, who had the best season for a rookie tight end in NFL history.
“I think Mike’s been fantastic since I’ve been here; we didn’t make any decisions on anything until you see him here, and Mike’s been fantastic since day one of the offseason program,” Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said Thursday.
If the Dolphins trade Smith for a future draft pick, his Dolphins 2025 cap hit would drop from $4.6 million to $550,000.
While Smith ideally would like to remain in Miami, cornerback Jalen Ramsey wants out, with a trade expected in the coming weeks.
If Ramsey traded for a future draft pick, his 2025 Dolphins cap hit would drop from $16.7 million to $6.7 million.
Miami would have $28 million in cap space if it trades both Ramsey and Smith for future draft picks.