Tight End Time: Which Patriots Veteran Needs to 'Arrive' in 2022?

With the start of the 2022 season close on the horizon, New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith is looking to ‘step up’ his on-field production.

FOXBORO — Though the New England Patriots have taken a conservative approach to free agency this offseason, head coach Bill Belichick is optimistic that the team’s uncharacteristically passive strategy will pay dividends in 2022.

Creator: Mark J. Rebilas | Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsCopyright: Mark J. Rebilas

Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots 

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Jonnu Smith, New England Patriots, signals the first down 

(Staff Photo By Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

Jonnu Smith (81), Hunter Henry (85), New England Patriots 

When speaking with reporters at the NFL Annual Meeting in March, Belichick was quick to point out that the team expects improvement from several of last season’s acquisitions.

“We spent a lot of money last year [2021]. Those guys are all young. They’re under contract. Hopefully, they will step up,” Belichick said.

While the Pats head coach did not identify anyone in particular, one such player who resembles that remark is tight end Jonnu Smith.

With the start of the 2022 season close on the horizon, Smith is looking to ‘step up’ as his head coach hopes. Smith was present for the start of OTAs on Monday, May 23, after sitting out the sessions in 2021 as he awaited the birth of his daughter.

“I had a baby, man, so I definitely missed a lot,” Smith told reporters following Monday’s training session. “I had an injury, [in minicamp] so my offseason was choppy. I had some great things like my baby girl being born, and I had some unfortunate setbacks, as well. I definitely missed some quality time here, man, and I recognize how valuable that time is. I’m just trying to take advantage of that.”

At his best, Smith is a prototypical ‘move’ tight end, best utilized as an effective target in the red zone. In his final season with the Tennessee Titans in 2020, he totaled 41 receptions for 448 yards and eight touchdowns. All eight of those scores came in the red zone.

Since Smith joined the Pats in March 2021, on a four-year, $50 million contract, he was expected to provide exactly what the Pats lacked in their 7-9 campaign in 2020: productivity and a reliable scorer at the tight end position. However, the 26-year-old fell short of expectations in his first year with the Patriots. He statistically underwhelmed; finishing the 2021 regular season with 28 catches, 294 receiving yards and one touchdown throughout 16 games.

Smith’s less-than-stellar stat sheet may be explained by his more prevalent usage in run protection schemes in 2021. Although he is a more than capable blocker, one would think his talents would be better utilized as an offensive scoring weapon. Yet, the Pats and quarterback Mac Jones provided fellow free-agent tight end acquisition Hunter Henry with those opportunities.

Still, Smith has earned the trust and respect of his coaches and teammates, who see a bright future ahead for him. Though his offensive numbers may have fallen short of expectations, Smith still led all tight ends in yards gained after catch per reception (8.5), according to Pro Football Focus. With one year in the Patriots system behind him, should see marked improvement in 2022.

In that vein, a full offseason slate of workouts and preparations may be just the catalyst Smith needs to spark his performance. It will also allow him more time to develop a greater understanding of the nuances of New England’s offense. Transitioning into a complex offense such as the one which the Patriots have run so effectively for decades, is challenging for any player; even those with Smith’s impressive skill set. When speaking with reporters in late 2021, Smith expressed similar sentiment when asked about his first year in the Pats’ system.

"You go anywhere for the first time in your life, it's an adjustment," Smith remarked.

Smith’s comments were echoed by former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels [now head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders], who described Smith’s first year in Foxboro at ‘foundational.’ As a result, his utilization, or lack thereof, may have been more by design than an indictment on his fit within the Patriots offense.

“The tight end position, obviously here and everywhere, is unique because you’re involved in so many different things — run-blocking, pass receiving, pass protection, alerts, motion,” McDaniels said of Smith during the 2021 season. “There’s a lot of different things you have to do well. Jonnu’s tried really hard to do all the things we’ve asked him to do. I always think the first year that we have an opportunity to have a free agent in our system is kind of a foundational year.”

It should be noted that McDaniels’ viewpoint was more complimentary than critical. He was careful to indicate that New England’s offensive foundation is certainly one that has a unique style and language all its own. At times, that can be difficult to grasp on the first try.

“They might have heard ‘NFL vernacular’ .. and [the may have] been around NFL football, but sitting in Bill’s [Belichick] squad meetings, listening to what we do on a weekly basis, fitting into how we change the offense from one week to the next to try to attack the defense’s weaknesses or protect our weaknesses; I don’t know how much of those things happen at other places. … But no question he adds an element of unique ability and he’s been a good addition, a great teammate.”

Being present on the field is a big part of being the ‘great teammate’ of which McDaniels spoke. As he attempts to prove his versatility, he is also keenly aware of his need to develop chemistry with his teammates. His attendance at OTAs is a major step in doing so.

“Everybody’s got their own routine,” Smith said. “Older guys got the right, as they should, to be here or not. That’s their right. But just for me, in my opinion, there’s such a great team-bonding element to it. Just being here, being around the guys and just building that chemistry — to me, that’s what it’s about. And I think if we can improve that, I think everything else on the field will take care of itself. I’m just a big believer, and I’m seeing it coming to fruition. It’s good.”

(Cred: CBS Sports Images)

Mac Jones, Hunter Henry, New England Patriots 

Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots 

Jakob Johnson, New England Patriots

Should Smith demonstrate marked improvement, as expected, the Patriots should incorporate more two tight-end sets into their offense. He and Henry spent only a fraction of time on the field in their first season together; just 18.6 percent of New England’s offensive snaps. A greater understanding of the Pats system should allow both Smith and Henry to complement each other in a manner which escaped them in 2021. It should also increase the amount of targets he sees in scoring situations. He may also be in line for some carries out of the backfield via the jet sweep, or as a fullback/H-Back — especially in the wake of former fullback Jakob Johnson’s joining McDaniels in Las Vegas.

No matter the manner in which he is used, an improved and more comfortable Jonnu Smith will only help to add another dimension to the Patriots offense in 2022.