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Patriots send tight end Jonnu Smith to Falcons via trade
What it means:
The New England Patriots have traded tight end Jonnu Smith to the Atlanta Falcons in return for a seventh-round pick, Ian Rapoport reports.
The Patriots made waves just two off-seasons ago when they signed tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry to market-setting free agent deals on back-to-back days to open free agency, but whereas Henry found a near-every-down role in the team's offense, Smith struggled to find the field. The former Tennessee Titan will now join a Falcons team led by the offensive coordinator from his time in Tennessee, Arthur Smith.
Smith never fully caught on with the Patriots, but his elite athleticism at the position did yield and 8-touchdown, 448-yard season in his final year in Tennessee. He should help provide depth at the position as Kyle Pitts recovers from the knee injury that ended his 2022 campaign.
