{"id":182270,"date":"2026-05-02T12:40:48","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T12:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182270"},"modified":"2026-05-02T12:40:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T12:40:48","slug":"breaking-news-nfl-insider-adam-schefter-has-confirmed-that-star-tight-end-jonnu-smith-is-heading-to-the-pittsburgh-steelers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182270","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING NEWS: NFL Insider Adam Schefter Has Confirmed That Star Tight End Jonnu Smith Is Heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers&#8230;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-path-to-node=\"1\"><strong>The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again making waves in the veteran market as they look to finalize their roster for the highly anticipated 2026 NFL season.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"2\">According to a shocking report from ESPN\u2019s Adam Schefter, the front office is working toward a reunion with veteran tight end Jonnu Smith to bolster the offense.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_banner_responsive_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\">This move comes as a surprise to many fans, considering Smith was released earlier this offseason to save nearly $7 million against the team&#8217;s current salary cap.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy-img\" src=\"https:\/\/media.pff.com\/2025\/05\/2S37YMK-scaled.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=675\" alt=\"Fantasy Football 2025: TE Jonnu Smith player profile\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"4\">However, after failing to land a pass-catching tight end during the 2026 NFL Draft, General Manager Omar Khan has reportedly pivoted back to a familiar veteran face.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_banner_responsive_2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"5\">The Steelers currently only have two established tight ends on the active roster, including Pat Freiermuth, following the departures of both Smith and Connor Heyward recently.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"6\">Steelers insider Gerry Dulac noted that the team\u2019s failure to address this position during the draft left a significant void that only a proven veteran could fill.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"js_adsconex_parallax_1\" data-type=\"parallax\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_ad-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_ad\" align=\"center\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_inpage_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"7\">Head Coach Mike McCarthy is reportedly pushing for the move, as he wants to provide his quarterback room with as many reliable, big-bodied targets as possible this year.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\">Whether it is Aaron Rodgers returning or young Drew Allar taking the reigns, having a versatile athlete like Smith will be crucial for the team&#8217;s red-zone efficiency.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_banner_responsive_3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"9\">Last season, Smith struggled to find his rhythm in Pittsburgh, finishing with only 38 receptions, but the coaching staff believes a second year will yield much better results.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"10\">The offensive unit already features high-profile weapons like DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., meaning Smith would likely face favorable one-on-one matchups against slower linebackers and safeties.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"js_adsconex_parallax_2\" data-type=\"parallax\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_ad-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"adsconex-parallax_ad\" align=\"center\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_inpage_2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"11\">With rookie wideouts Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen also joining the mix, the Steelers are assembling a diverse group of playmakers to challenge the elite AFC North defenses.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"12\">While some fans may be skeptical of the reunion, the move provides immediate depth and experience at a position that was dangerously thin heading into the summer workouts.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_banner_responsive_4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"13\">The Steelers&#8217; defense, led by T.J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey, is already championship-caliber, leaving the front office focused entirely on maximizing every single offensive roster spot available.<\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"14\">As rookie minicamps begin next week, adding a veteran like Smith allows the team to focus on development while maintaining a high floor for the starting lineup in 2026.<\/p>\n<div class=\"in-article-ad\">\n<div id=\"div_adsconex_banner_responsive_5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"15\">This &#8220;rumored player&#8221; reunion could be the final piece of the puzzle for a Pittsburgh team that is clearly all-in on winning a Super Bowl title this season.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again making waves in the veteran market as they look to finalize their roster for the highly anticipated 2026 NFL season. According&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":182271,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING NEWS: NFL Insider Adam Schefter Has Confirmed That Star Tight End Jonnu Smith Is Heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers... - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=182270\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING NEWS: NFL Insider Adam Schefter Has Confirmed That Star Tight End Jonnu Smith Is Heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers... - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Pittsburgh Steelers are once again making waves in the veteran market as they look to finalize their roster for the highly anticipated 2026 NFL season. 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