As the Green Bay Packers cross their fingers and hope that tight end Tucker Kraft will be as effective as ever to start the 2026 season, Brian Gutekunst brought in a veteran safety blanket in Jonnu Smith.
Smith, a nine-year veteran who spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, agreed to a one-year contract with the Packers, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. With Kraft recovering from a torn ACL that deprived Jordan Love of one of his more reliable pass-catching targets for the bulk of last season, Smith is a veteran who can shoulder some of the passing game load while No. 85 gets up to speed.
Smith was bad in 2025, but if he can recapture his 2024 form, Green Bay could very quickly go from good to great as a passing offense.
Packers sign veteran tight end Jonnu Smith to one-year contract
Smith has had an up-and-down pro career. After proving to be a solid pass-catching weapon in Tennessee, Arthur Smith's desire to make him a focal point in Atlanta failed to see Jonnu Smith dominate. After a Pro Bowl season with the Miami Dolphins in which he caught 88 passes, Smith tallied just 222 yards on 38 catches from Aaron Rodgers last season in Pittsburgh.
While Smith averaging a comically low 5.8 yards per catch may suggest that he is done, he did showcase some above-average athletic ability despite being on the wrong side of 30. He's never going to be an amazing blocker, but with the Packers' tight end room as banged up as it is, Smith will upgrade what they already had in place.
As much as Smith will serve as a deputy for Kraft, this could also be seen as a sign that Green Bay doesn't believe Luke Musgrave will be healthy early in the season.
While the Packers are seemingly ready to unleash Kraft as soon as possible, would it be the worst idea to get a veteran behind him just in case he takes a bit longer than expected to get back on track? With Musgrave on the mend, Green Bay would be one step away from Josh Whyle and a collection of undrafted players picking up the slack.
If Smith even has a little bit of the juice that made him one of the best tight ends in football during the 2024 season, he could work his way into the Packers' offense and give them some security if Kraft is a step slower than he was before the injury. There's no such thing as having too many qualified pass-catchers.
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