Falcons TE Jonnu Smith 'Didn't Have an Injury' - Explains Absence

Jonnu Smith is returning to the Atlanta Falcons just in time before their preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins.

Jeremy Brener | Aug 10, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are inching closer to full health for the season.

Newly-acquired tight end Jonnu Smith, who the Falcons acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots this offseason, is returning to the practice field after a brief absence.

Many believed Smith's time away from the field was due to injury, but he explained how that wasn't the case.

“I didn’t have an injury,” Smith said via D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Just some things I have to continue to maintain on my body. But I’m feeling good. I’m working myself back in. I’m just continuing to make more strides every day. Year 7 now and I feel great and I want to keep it that way. We just have to go about it in different ways.”

Tight ends have longer shelf life in the NFL compared to most positions. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce looks like one of the best at his position in the league going into his 11th NFL season. Meanwhile, Marcedes Lewis just signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears for his 18th NFL campaign.

Smith isn't quite there in Year 7, but he has potential to be very durable for the Falcons. He adds a layer of depth as a backup for Kyle Pitts, who dealt with injuries throughout most of the 2022 season.

If Smith's routine of durability can rub off Pitts and the pair can provide a decent amount of value to the Falcons, Atlanta could break its six-year playoff drought.

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Published Aug 10, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.