Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan may have made it seem like no imminent cap casualties were coming while speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine, but as GMs often do this time of year, he quickly made himself a liar.
The Steelers released tight end Jonnu Smith Wednesday night, ending what was a brief and frustrating partnership between the two sides. There was some excitement about reuniting him with his former offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who coached him while with the Titans and Falcons, but it ultimately turned into a disaster.
Smith was essentially a throw-in as part of the Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, and now he is looking for a new job after having (and this is no hyperbole), one of the least efficient receiving seasons in over 25 years.
Jonnu Smith wasn't just bad for the Pittsburgh Steelers; he was historically bad
Smith was coming off of the only Pro Bowl appearance of his career heading into 2025, catching 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns for the Dolphins. The fact that he was even included in the Ramsey-Fitzpatrick trade was met with confusion, even if he was at an impasse with his contract situation.
As it turns out, Miami was right for not extending Smith after an outlier season in 2024.
Smith was targeted 54 times in 2025, but only managed 222 receiving yards on 38 receptions. His 5.8 yards per reception wouldn't even be good for a running back, let alone a receiving specialist at TE. Even worse, his yards per target was a measly 4.1.
To put it in perspective, there have been 29 different seasons since the merger where a TE had exactly 54 targets in a season. According to Stathead Football, Smith's 4.1 yards per target($) average is the worst mark among those seasons.
The fact that it even took this long into the offseason for him to get the axe is astonishing, but it's better late than never. Smith has the talent to be better in 2026 than he was a year ago, but it simply didn't work out in Pittsburgh. With a new offense coming in under Mike McCarthy and the expected return of Aaron Rodgers at QB, there was no way to justify paying his $10.8 million salary when they could save $7 million by cutting him.
With any luck, the former Pro Bowler will land on his feet elsewhere. The Chargers could be a team to look out for, especially with former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel now calling the offense in Los Angeles.