Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Jonnu Smith -- who wants a new contract to replace his current one -- “has been around” (at least some) during offseason workouts and that he hopes the tight end remains on the team.
“I’m not part of the negotiations,” McDaniel said, adding that Smith is “an important person and player. He’s a professional.”
Asked his level of confidence that Smith will be on the team, McDaniel said he hopes he will be: “I haven’t considered anything other than I want Jonnu on the team. I think he wants to be here. My experience with business is you let that play out.”
Smith wasn’t spotted at the most recent practice open to the media last Wednesday.
He wants the Dolphins to replace his current contract, which will pay him $4.8 million this season, with a new multiyear deal after he set single-season Dolphins records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns by a tight end.
Miami reportedly has had trade talks as a result of that request.
McDaniel said he would keep these types of situations private beyond what any player chooses to share on social media.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus said Smith’s preference is to remain in Miami. ESPN reported that Miami has explored trading him instead of giving him a new contract but that Pittsburgh is no longer expected to pursue him.
Overall, McDaniel said he has been pleased with the attendance at voluntary workouts, which conclude this week before next week’s mandatory three-day minicamp.
“We have had unbelievable participation and focus,” he said.
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ He said he hasn’t checked in a lot with general manager Chris Grier about the status of a Jalen Ramsey trade and that “nothing has changed” since last week. With June 1 having passed, the Dolphins 2025 cap hit for trading Ramsey has dropped by $18 million, to $6.7 million.
▪ McDaniel said “I’m really excited what 2025 has in store for” Jaylen Waddle, praising his enthusiam about working on his game.
▪ McDaniel said second-year running back Jaylen Wright “benefited tremendously from coming into the league in a very competitive room. When that’s the case, you learn how little room for error to execute your job responsibilities are. When we had exit meetings, I was talking to Jaylen about [being able] to non verbally communicate to me his hunger for a [bigger] role. I see better than I hear. Four OTAs in, I can see him following through with that.”
▪ McDaniel said Tua Tagovailoa on Monday wore the orange jersey given to the previous day’s top practice performer for several reasons, including the fact he had “the most ownership of all the players,” including on non-passing downs.
“Performed, executed and was very competitive. didn’t allow the ebbs and flows of practice to impact him.”
▪ McDaniel likes that left tackle Patrick Paul “did not waste” his rookie season backing up Terron Armstead and instead improved his game. “He really chopped wood each and every day. I see him doing top tier things.”
McDaniel said Paul, who is considered the likely starter, has done some things that have surprised defenders.
The other tackle, Austin Jackson, “has looked as good as he’s ever looked,” McDaniel said.