While the Steelers are not likely to trade for TE Jonnu Smith, the interest in him still probably means something. And that is especially likely given that the interest resurfaced after TE Donald Parham Jr.’s injury. At least for me, that tells me the Steelers are still in the market for another tight end.
After all, they carried four tight ends on the roster last year, but they did not re-sign MyCole Pruitt. Although he was on the roster fringe, Parham was a candidate in that regard. While trading for Jonnu Smith wouldn’t have been a proportional move to losing Parham, I think any movement shows that the interest is there.
Of course, the biggest reason the Steelers were linked to Jonnu Smith, aside from his agent, is Arthur Smith. Jonnu Smith played for the Steelers’ current offensive coordinator for most of his career, at multiple stops. In Tennessee, Arthur Smith was his position coach and then coordinator. Then he eventually brought the tight end to Atlanta, where he was the head coach.
Smith also brought Pruitt to the Steelers from Tennessee and Atlanta, so why not Jonnu? But anyway, with that trade seeming unlikely, I think the interest was still more than zero. But that’s as much about the position as it is the player.
Pittsburgh really only has three rosterable tight ends right now in Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, and Connor Heyward. While the Steelers really like their top duo, Heyward seemed to fall a bit out of favor under Arthur Smith. He also isn’t a traditional tight end, as indicated by his nickname: Meatball.
Other than what they already have, minus Parham, the Steelers have only given Smith one more tight end. That is rookie college free agent JJ Galbreath, who admittedly is an interesting prospect. While he won’t give the Steelers what a Jonnu Smith could, he might potentially earn that fourth tight end spot.
The fact that they lost Parham, however, should indicate that they are going to add someone. Four tight ends really isn’t even enough to conduct a training camp practice. Even if they don’t bring in a Jonnu Smith-type tight end, the Steelers have to find somebody.
While the Steelers don’t normally like signing older free agents—Jonnu Smith himself will turn 30 in August—they may show interest in the insanely old Marcedes Lewis due to his history with Aaron Rodgers. Like Rodgers, Lewis is also 41, but he can probably still throw people around. A decade younger is Gerald Everett, whom the Bears released in February. And of course, there’s always MyCole Pruitt.
