Don't Forget About Smythe

Miami Dolphins veteran tight end Durham Smythe likely won't disappear in 2024.

Dec 24, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins tight end Durham Smythe (81) runs with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Dolphins signed tight ends Jonnu Smith and Jody Fortson in free agency, but that doesn't mean that Durham Smythe will be out of the picture.

Smythe is tied with kicker Jason Sanders as the longest-tenured Dolphins player on the roster and he signed an extension in 2023 to keep him in Miami until 2025, with $5 million guaranteed. His contract was restructured this offseason to lower his cap number, with void years added to spread out a new signing bonus.

Smythe understands exactly what he has to do to contribute to the Dolphins.

"I always say this about this time of year -- this league is all adapt or die," Smythe told reporters after the open OTA last week. "You role changes every year, depends on the personnel at your position, what the offense is good at, you know, the personnel at other positions, even so your role changes every year ... if you can adapt in a way where you can be valuable to the team, you're always going to have a spot somewhere. So I think that's, you know, that'll be a training camp thing where ... we all feel out our roles and figure out ... where we fit, but it's just another year of adaptiveness."

THE NEW GUYS AT TIGHT END FOR THE DOLPHINS

Smith is expected to have a big role on the Dolphins offense after he finished third among all NFL tight ends — behind only David Njoku and George Kittle — last season in average yards after catch at 7.1 and might even end up as the starter.

Fortson also is an intriguing target for the Dolphins — he was a solid red-zone player in Kansas City thanks to his 6-foot-6 frame's catch radius — and could be a force in two-tight end schemes.

The Dolphins tight end room also includes second-year player Julian Hill, who impressed last season after making the team as a rookie free agent and clearly bulked up after the end of last season based on his appearance during the two OTAs open to the media.

Smythe averaged 10.5 yards per reception on 35 receptions last season. He likely will get most snaps in-line or as a slot tight end, which means he will continue to do his fair share of blocking in 2024.

Smythe has started 12 games or more each of the past five seasons, and last season played a career-high 76 percent of the offensive snaps while also contributing on special teams.

That percentage likely will go down with the additions at tight end, but Smythe absolutely figures to again be a key contributor on offense.

Among the reasons will be his versatility and his experience in the Mike McDaniel offense.

"I think this offense, especially in the run game, at the point of attack puts the tight ends and the fullbacks in positions to kind of clean up for each other, and then clean up for, you know, takcles and stuff that are also at the attack," Smythe said. "So I think as me and Alec [Ingold] and you know, some other guys that have been here a good amount of time now, become more familiar with the offense, we kind of play just off each other."