The New England Patriots had arguably the worst collection of skill players in the NFL last season, and they are trying to address that heading into 2021. They felt signing star tight end Jonnu Smith was a good place to start.
Smith and the Patriots have agreed to a four-year, $50 million contract. Smith’s agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the deal includes just north of $31 million guaranteed.
Smith was the best tight end on the free agent market and one of the best players overall. The 25-year-old posted career highs across the board with the Tennessee Titans last season, including 41 catches, 448 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Patriots desperately lacked both a receiving tight end and red zone option in 2020, so Smith should help address both of those needs.
Bill Belichick will likely look to add another skill player or two in the coming days, as the Patriots have plenty of salary cap space.
