3 players who could follow Arthur Smith to the Steelers

Jonnu Smith, Tight end

When you think of the prototypical tight end in an Arthur Smith offense, you think of Jonnu Smith. The veteran has played on three NFL teams since entering the league in 2017, but has started 78 games and made a boatload of money thanks to his ability to do anything that is asked of him.

Last year, Smith played nearly an equal number of snaps from the slot as he did inline, while also taking the occasional snap out wide or in the backfield. His versatility as a Y-tight end and H-back makes him tailor-made for Smith's wide-zone offense.

Smith can also pitch in as a receiving option. Working with Smith on the Falcons in 2023, Smith caught 50 of 70 passes for 582 yards and 3 touchdowns. In fact, his usage in the passing game made Falcons fans upset that they weren't utilizing former first-round pick Kyle Pitts more often.

Jonnu Smith is still under contract with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, but the final year of his deal includes a $9 million cap hit, via Over the Cap -- a number the new coaching staff might not be willing to pay as they change the direction of the offense.

This makes Smith a candidate to be cut this offseason, and you can bet that Arthur Smith would love to snatch his old buddy up in a heartbeat. If Smith is released, it somehow seems like a lock that he will end up on the Steelers roster this year.