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We are already into the thick of the NFL offseason and that means free agency. Teams can’t contact free agents until March 15th, but news of the top players will circulate as we close in on that starting point. Dak Prescott, Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson, and Kenny Golladay are just a few of the big names set to hit unrestricted free agency when the new league year opens on March 17th. One or more stands a good chance of signing a contract with their current team or being franchise tagged before then, but there is a chance one or more is taking calls when the tampering period opens on March 15th.
We’ll take a look at Tennessee Titans tight end Jonnu Smith and what his potential road through free agency looks like.
2020 in review
Jonnu Smith had a record-setting year with a handful of career highs logging 41 receptions, 448 yards, and eight touchdowns throughout 15 games. He had a hot start to the season, scoring five of those TDs in his first four games while putting up a season-high 84 receiving yards early on in Week 2. He cooled off considerably after that, never finding the end zone more than once in a game after that, while failing to put up any higher than 52 yards in a game. He also had a career-high 65 targets last season, but even that pales in comparison to the action some of the other top tight ends around the league have seen.
Possible destinations
Smith will have plenty of suitors coming his way. With his explosive athletic abilities, he’s an elite talent in the league for any team who will utilize him and provide him the action he’s capable of taking. If he doesn’t stay with the Titans, teams like the Seahawks, Bengals, and Jaguars could all benefit from an upgrade in the tight end spot. With the Jaguars expected to select QB Trevor Lawrence, pairing him with a talented TE like Smith could be just what they’re looking for.
Do the Titans want to keep him?
March 15th update
Both WR Corey Davis and TE Jonnu Smith are aware that the #Titans will not be bringing them back to Nashville. Both will hit the free agent market per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 15, 2021
The Titans will most likely want to keep him around, but with how little they utilized him especially throughout the second half of the season, they may be willing just to let him walk instead of continuing to pay him $8 million per year. If they want to keep him, they’ll have to figure out how to create some room in their salary cap and make a plan to unleash his full potential next season.
Fantasy implications
If the Titans lock him up for next season, there’s no doubt they’ll do that with his offensive prowess in mind. He makes a great third receiving option for Ryan Tannehill, and I’d expect him to set even more career highs next season, which is good for any fantasy manager looking to pick him up in 2021.
Rumored interest
A source close to the Seattle Seahawks indicated that they would be making “an aggressive run” at signing Smith, even after inquiring about trading for Zach Ertz from the Eagles.