Dolphins TE Jonnu Smith is eager to play with Tua Tagovailoa

Eighth-year tight end Jonnu Smith is coming off a monster season with the Atlanta Falcons but believes the best is yet to come after signing a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins. Smith, a 2017 third-round draft pick, is optimistic about the possibilities when catching passes from Tua Tagovailoa, the league leader in passing yards last season.

“Tua is probably the most talented when it comes to arm — I’m not even going to say probably, he is,” Smith said on The Dive Bar Podcast Wednesday night. “When it comes to arm talent and the way he moves his eyes, I was impressed the first time working with him and throwing with him.”

The Dolphins have failed to incorporate tight ends throughout the Mike McDaniel era, but Smith’s unique speed at the position could change the equation.

Miami targeted tight ends a league-low 52 times last season while Smith saw a career-high 70 passes come his way from Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke. He averaged 11.6 yards per catch last year while being the only tight end to exceed 20 mph as a ball carrier since the start of 2022, according to Next Gen Stats.

Still, the position isn’t necessarily overlooked by Tagovailoa and the Dolphins’ offense. Durham Smythe ranked third in targets last season, trailing only Tyreek Hill (171 targets) and Jaylen Waddle (104 targets) with 43. Former Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki finished No. 3 with 52 targets in 2022.

“Tua throws a receiver’s ball and is as accurate as you can be — the sky is the limit for him,” Smith added. “He’s not afraid to take chances and you have to have some of that in you as a quarterback when you know you have playmakers down there. The way he fits it into tight windows, the way he scans the field and goes through all of his progressions — and Tua’s still young.”

You can listen to Jonnu Smith’s entire interview on The Dive Bar Podcast’s Spotify or YouTube channel.