Jonnu Smith and the Cap Squeeze: A Tight End’s Uncertain Place in Pittsburgh
At 9: 00 a. m. ET on a quiet Monday, the conversation around the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason turned from who they might add to who they might have to let go. In the middle of that math sits jonnu smith, a veteran tight end whose contract number, recent production, and the team’s changing offensive direction have pushed him into uncomfortable headlines.
Why is jonnu smith being discussed as a potential cut?
The Steelers may be considering parting ways with some players before the new league year begins on March 11. In that context, Thomas Valentine of Pro Football Focus argued that the team should put jonnu smith on its list of potential cuts, framing it as one of several paths to open cap space.
Valentine wrote that while other names mentioned could still contribute on defense, the case against Smith centers on “lack of production” and the impact of a new head coach and offensive coordinator. Valentine pointed to two specific performance markers from 2025: Smith averaged 4. 6 yards after the catch per reception, described as the lowest mark of his career, and posted a 46. 8 Pro Football Focus grade that ranked 74th out of 75 tight ends.
The numbers alone do not tell a full human story, but in an NFL front office they often function like a final draft of it—especially when cap decisions are due. In Valentine’s view, the roster context matters too: with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington already on the roster at tight end, the team has alternatives at the position, making Smith’s spot “harder to justify. ”
What do the Steelers gain—or lose—by moving on from Jonnu Smith?
The argument is bluntly financial. Smith carries a $10 million cap hit for the upcoming season. Valentine’s breakdown described a potential cut as taking on $3. 8 million in dead money while freeing up $7 million in cap savings—space that could be redirected elsewhere.
That “elsewhere” matters because the Steelers have multiple roster needs to address in the offseason. Within the current landscape described around the team, notable needs include wide receiver, quarterback, offensive line, and multiple positions in the secondary. The Steelers have cap space to work with, and they could open more with cap casualties of their own.
There is also a personal dimension embedded inside the cap line item. Valentine added that Smith “still has a lot to give somewhere else, ” a phrase that underscores the league’s recurring tension: being cut can be framed as a release, but it is also a reset—sometimes an exit from a scheme or depth chart that no longer fits.
How does this fit into Pittsburgh’s broader offseason plan?
The Steelers believe they can compete next season, and that confidence shapes how they might approach free agency. One potential strategy involves targeting “cap casualties”—players who become available because other teams decide their contracts no longer match their value. While becoming a cap casualty is “never a positive outcome, ” it can create a new opportunity for the player and a lower-cost option for a team trying to contend.
Within that framework, Pittsburgh’s cap decisions are not just about subtraction; they are about clearing room to pursue additions. The offseason picture presented around the team includes the possibility that Isaac Seumalo might not return as he hits free agency, described as unlikely due to age and an injury-plagued season, and the idea that the Steelers could look for a replacement. Mekhi Becton was floated as a potential fit in Pittsburgh, characterized as coming off a down year but bringing experience.
At wide receiver, the discussion extended to the idea that Michael Pittman Jr. could be on his way out of Indianapolis if he became a cap casualty, with the Steelers described as doing “terrific work” by signing him. That possibility was framed as an addition that could pair with DK Metcalf. Taken together, those threads make the central issue clear: Pittsburgh’s offseason appears to hinge on flexibility—clearing money, finding value, and reshaping a roster with several needs.
In that equation, jonnu smith becomes more than a name on a depth chart. He becomes a test case for how aggressively the Steelers will convert existing contracts into new options—whether that means chasing outside help, absorbing dead money now, or keeping a veteran in hopes that a different offensive environment changes the output.
Image caption (alt text): jonnu smith during a Pittsburgh Steelers offseason practice as cap decisions loom.
