Jonnu Smith’s disappointing Patriots tenure is over. New England traded the underachieving tight end Monday to the Falcons in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.
The deal saves the Patriots about $4.4 million in cap space.
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Smith was a prime candidate to be dealt in order to shave money, considering his lackluster two seasons in Foxborough. He only caught 55 passes in 30 games, despite signing a four-year, $50 million contract in free agency.
The Patriots restructured Smith’s deal before last season, saving $5 million against the cap. Smith, 27, is also expected to restructure his contract with the Falcons.
The Falcons are apparently counting on Smith being revitalized after reuniting with head coach Arthur Smith, who was his tight ends coach and offensive coordinator with the Titans. Smith caught 65 passes and scored eight touchdowns during his contract year, prompting the Patriots to shell out big money for his services.
With Smith gone, the Patriots are left with Hunter Henry, Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington at the position. It was one of the least productive tight end units in the league last season, and in need of an upgrade.
The Patriots decided that Smith wasn’t going to be part of the solution.