Jonnu Smith, Jalen Ramsey Traded To Steelers In Mega Deal For Minkah Fitzpatrick

The Steelers continued their aggressive offseason by landing Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith from the Dolphins in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick, bolstering their Super Bowl push with Aaron Rodgers under center.

Former Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith (9) makes a reception for a touchdown as Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) defends during the third quarter at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers are making serious waves this offseason—and they just sent another shockwave through the NFL. After selecting Ohio State title-winning quarterback Will Howard in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, it looked like Pittsburgh was ready to roll into the season with a rookie under center or rely on Mason Rudolph. But everything changed when they pulled off the inevitable and inked future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. Suddenly, this offense looks primed to contend in the ultra-competitive AFC North, which includes heavyweights like the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. The Cleveland Browns seem to be on an upward trajectory but aren’t anywhere close to actually contending. 

Steelers Land Jalen Ramsey And Jonnu Smith From Dolphins For Minkah Fitzpatrick

Now, the Steelers are back in the headlines after pulling off a blockbuster deal: Pittsburgh is sending All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for shutdown corner Jalen Ramsey, veteran tight end Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-rounder.

Steelers acquiring tight end Jonnu Smith from Dolphins as part of Jalen Ramsey trade. (via @Rapsheet, @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/6o7RXgXneQ

— NFL (@NFL) June 30, 2025

Interestingly, these two teams were deep in talks earlier this offseason—even before Rodgers arrived in the Steel City. The move for Smith, in particular, has been brewing. With DK Metcalf standing alone as the only proven wideout on the roster, the Steelers have been eyeing ways to diversify their passing attack. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has coached Jonnu Smith during three separate stints (2019, 2020, and 2023), has long been a fan of the athletic tight end and is expected to deploy him alongside Pat Freiermuth in dynamic two-tight-end sets. It’s a bold move—but one that could pay off big if Pittsburgh wants to make a legitimate playoff push.

Jonnu Smith Fantasy Football Trade Impact

After spending his first six seasons with the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots, Jonnu Smith took his talents to Atlanta in 2023—and the change of scenery paid off in a big way. Despite serving as the TE2 in a crowded Falcons offense, Smith set then-career highs in catches (50), receiving yards (582), and targets (70), while tacking on three touchdowns. But it was his one-year stint in Miami where he truly turned heads and blossomed into a fantasy football force.

With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle both sidelined for stretches of the 2024 season, Smith seized the spotlight and delivered a breakout campaign. He posted new career highs across the board—88 receptions, 884 yards, and 111 targets—while tying his personal best with eight touchdowns. His surge down the stretch was especially impressive, stringing together stat lines like 7/96/1, 6/101/2, 9/87/1, 10/113, 9/48/1, and 9/56/1. By season’s end, the 28-year-old finished as the TE4 in PPR formats, racking up a stellar 223.4 fantasy points.

In Miami, Smith was always going to be the third wheel behind Hill and Waddle. But in Pittsburgh? He has a real shot to be the No. 2 option behind DK Metcalf. Yes, Pat Freiermuth is still in the mix and excels as a blocker, but that very skillset should open the door for Smith to run more routes and receive a larger share of schemed touches. While Aaron Rodgers might not be an upgrade over Tua Tagovailoa at this stage in his career, he does bring a veteran presence that could benefit Smith—especially if the Steelers lean into a more balanced offensive approach rather than sticking to their run-heavy roots.

With draft pick Kaleb Johnson bolstering the backfield, Pittsburgh still needs to move the chains through the air if they hope to compete with the AFC’s elite. In the month of June, Smith carried an ADP of TE8, which is actually a slight dip from May when he was the fourth or fifth tight end off the board.

Top 10 Tight Ends According To ADP:

1. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders (18.41)

2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals (27.20)

3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (45.20)

4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (64.33)

5. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings (80.77)

6. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (90.26)

7. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (97.07)

8. Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers (103.26)

9. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (103.34)

10. David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (112.16)

Smith’s new teammate, Pat Freiermuth, is currently being drafted as the TE13 (140.79 ADP), just behind Tyler Warren and Tucker Kraft. While Smith has certainly climbed the fantasy pecking order, his move to a less pass-heavy offense in Pittsburgh could cause a slight dip in value. Don’t be surprised if Evan Engram and even David Njoku leapfrog him in ADP. Still, Smith remains a strong fringe TE1 heading into 2025 fantasy football drafts.

It’s important to note that last season, with Aaron Rodgers at the helm in New York, Jets tight ends saw 108 targets—the exact same number Pittsburgh’s tight ends received. But unlike in Miami, where tight ends were targeted a whopping 150 times in 2024, Smith will have to share the workload with another capable option in Freiermuth. The silver lining? Pittsburgh’s wide receiver corps managed just 139 catches last year—the second fewest in the league behind only the Saints. That kind of inefficiency opens the door for tight ends to play a major role in the passing attack.

Even in a timeshare, Smith projects as a solid contributor, especially given his ability to line up on the outside. A realistic stat line in his first year as a Steeler: around 65 receptions, 650 yards, and six touchdowns—numbers that should keep him firmly in the TE1 conversation, especially in PPR formats.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are sure to see an uptick in volume with Smith out of the picture in Miami.

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Since March, the Steelers have gone all-in. They acquired two-time Pro Bowl wideout DK Metcalf, signed four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, and now have added two more proven veterans in Jonnu Smith and Jalen Ramsey. And that’s not even factoring in their promising 2025 rookie class. It’s clear Pittsburgh is pushing all their chips to the center of the table, betting that Rodgers has one more magical run in him—and that the Steelers can return to glory and hoist another Lombardi Trophy for one of the most storied franchises in sports history.