Former NFL Head Coach Thinks Jonnu Smith Will Be ‘Greatest Half’ Of Steelers-Dolphins Commerce

The Steelers made a shocking move last week, sending FS Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith. While the trade means there’s a lot of change coming defensively, Smith’s presence could be huge for the offense.

“Jonnu Smith will be the best part of that trade between Pittsburgh and Miami,” former NFL head coach Eric Mangini said Monday on FS1’s Breakfast Ball. “And I think Jonnu Smith was a big reason it got done. Arthur Smith had him in Tennessee, he had him in Atlanta. He wanted him there. This, to me, is such a gift for Aaron Rodgers.”

Although Smith wasn’t the main return in the trade, he is a player the Steelers have been linked with this offseason. Especially after trading George Pickens, it seemed clear that the Steelers needed another pass catcher. Not liking their options at receiver, the Steelers acquired Smith in the same trade for Fitzpatrick. They’ll hope he can help wear that WR2 hat instead.

There’s a decent chance he could. Smith’s numbers last year — 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns — were arguably better than any Steelers receiver in 2024, including Pickens. He can line up out wide and in the backfield as well.

Pittsburgh did its due diligence, bringing in Gabe Davis for a visit before trading for Smith. He left the building without a contract though, and other options like Amari Cooper and Keenan Allen don’t seem too realistic, at least until training camp. So Pittsburgh went with Smith, who as Mangini points out, has a ton of familiarity with Arthur Smith.

Arthur Smith coached Jonnu Smith when he was calling plays for the Tennessee Titans. He also acquired him again during his final year as the head coach in Atlanta. That year, Jonnu Smith had his best career season before he broke out in Miami. In 2023, Smith had 50 receptions for 582 yards, each of which were a career-high at the time.

Now, Mangini thinks Smith adds another layer to the Steelers’ offense.

“So you got [Pat] Freiermuth, you got Jonnu Smith, you got the ability to run the football with two tight ends and also add a very effective interior part of the passing game. That’s, at the end of the day, gonna be the biggest plus of this trade,” Mangini said.

Jonnu Smith gives Arthur Smith the flexibility to run 12 personnel. But that won’t be his only use. He’s not as good of a blocker as Freiermuth, so he’ll be out wide more often. Smith is quick and agile with the ball in his hands. He was often used in the short passing game in Miami. That’s a role he’ll likely play with Aaron Rodgers, who likes to get the ball out of his hands quickly at this stage in his career.

Losing Fitzpatrick is big, and Ramsey could be a major factor for the defense going forward. That said, it might take quite the impact from Smith to actually become the best part of this return. If the Steelers use him in the right way, it’s more than possible.