The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to have one of the most chaotic offseasons in their history. For the first time in almost 20 years, the team is in need of a new head coach. Unlike the last time, though, the roster is also bloated and in desperate need of a new direction.
Whomever is hired has their work cut out for them.
However, one easy move is already staring the team in the face. Jonnu Smith may be one of the easiest roster cuts in recent years. At the very least, his being cut should be the first major move of the Steelers' offseason, no matter who is brought on as coach.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t get their money’s worth from Arthur Smith
Smith was the icing on top of the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade last summer. While the core of the trade was a defensive player swap, Smith was added to reunite with Arthur Smith. It was a good fit on paper.
The Steelers wanted to run a lot of multi-tight end personal, and Smith could be the big receiving threat in that room. However, that didn’t materialize, and Smith felt out of place for most of the season.
He never got on the same page with Aaron Rodgers, and while he got a healthy amount of targets, he failed to be more than a short-yardage threat.
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Having gotten an extension right before the season, Pittsburgh needs to correct that glitch and part ways. Smith won’t be around as the offensive coordinator this year, and the tight end room is already deep.
Darnell Washington ascended as the true top player in the room. His blocking and soft hands make him a threat that works in any offense. Pat Freiermuth was an afterthought, but I would argue to keep him over Smith any day of the week.
The expectation is for Washington to get a new deal this year. You can’t justify paying two tight ends that much. Smith is the clear odd man out.
While the Steelers have a healthy amount of cap space, they can add an additional $7 million to it by cutting Smith this offseason. That is essentially free money for an underwhelming player.
While Smith will still have suitors in the league, his time in Pittsburgh should be up. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for both sides. This is a no-brainer move and one I would expect to see happen sooner rather than later.