The Green Bay Packers lost one of their most important players early last season. Tucker Kraft was in the midst of a breakout year, and the fact that he finished tied for the most touchdown receptions on the team (6) despite not playing since November speaks volumes about his impact.
Back then, the Packers reportedly reached out to the Cleveland Browns to trade for David Njoku, per Easton Butler of Packers Report. Ultimately, the Browns kept their playmaking tight end, just to let him walk away in free agency.
While the Packers didn't pursue Njoku or any other tight end in free agency, they clearly felt that they needed more help at the position. And now that he's no longer available, perhaps they might want to turn their attention to Jonnu Smith instead.
The Packers should make a run at Jonnu Smith
Smith looked like a star with the Tennessee Titans before a disappointing tenure with the New England Patriots. He took his career back from the ground after leaving Foxborough, but clearly, the Pittsburgh Steelers weren't a good fit.
Spotrac projects his market value at just $7.3 million per year. That makes sense, given that he's coming off a disappointing season, but context matters, and he was stuck in a bad situation with a logjam at tight end. He had to share touches with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington in an unimpressive offense. Even so, he still had 38 catches for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
He could head back home to Florida to sign with the Miami Dolphins for a second stint or play for another non-contending side. However, if he wants to play meaningful games again, joining Matt LaFleur's team on a cheaper "prove it" deal might be a wiser decision.
The Packers will obviously continue to feed Kraft early and often once he gets back to full strength. Nevertheless, ACL injuries are tricky, and adding a proven veteran like Smith to the mix would help alleviate the burden and workload. They wouldn't have to rush him back to the field, especially with a contract extension looming large.
Even coming off a down year, Smith would be a step forward over the likes of Luke Musgrave, Josh Whyle, and Drake Dabney. He's a big-bodied, physical matchup on the open field and a perennial mismatch in the end zone, not to mention a willing blocker, and someone who knows and embraces his role as a TE2.
The Packers play in arguably the most competitive division in the NFC, and they can't afford to rest on their laurels. They may already have a star at the position, but after another heartbreaking end to the campaign and injuries taking a toll on their chances, it would be better to be safe than sorry.
Add us as a preferred source on Google