Jonnu Smith agrees to join Patriots on 4-year, $50M deal
Tight end Jonnu Smith has agreed to join the New England Patriots on a four-year, $50-million deal, his agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The contract includes $31.25 million fully guaranteed, Schefter adds.
Smith set career highs last season with 41 receptions, 448 yards, and eight touchdowns. His numbers have improved each year since entering the NFL as a third-round pick in 2017.
The 25-year-old's new $12.5-million average annual salary ranks third among tight ends, behind only the San Francisco 49ers' George Kittle ($15 million) and the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce ($14.3 million), according to Spotrac.
The average salary is also a franchise all-time high for a skill-position player, according to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.
Smith is a significant addition to the Patriots' receiving corps, which struggled last season. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers was the only New England pass-catcher to top 50 grabs in 2020, and running back Rex Burkhead led the team with three receiving touchdowns.
New England drafted tight ends Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene in the third round last year, and both battled injuries as rookies while combining for just five receptions.
The Patriots also agreed to a two-year contract worth up to $16 million with former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Davon Godchaux on Monday, according to Schefter.
The 26-year-old registered career highs with 75 tackles and two sacks in 2019, but he battled injuries and played only five games last year.