The Pittsburgh Steelers appear to be all-in on winning a Super Bowl in 2025.
After signing four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers earlier this month, Pittsburgh pulled off two trades on Monday that significantly improved its chances of being a championship contender.
First, the Steelers sent 28-year-old five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for 30-year-old seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Then just minutes later, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the two teams agreed on a second trade that sent Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers in exchange for a draft pick swap.
“Steelers-Dolphins trade, Part II: Dolphins are trading tight end Jonnu Smith to the Steelers for a late-round pick swap, per ESPN sources,” Schefter wrote. “Smith will get a one-year contract extension for $12 million, confirmed by agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey.”
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Pittsburgh will get Miami’s 2027 seventh-round pick while the Dolphins will get the Steelers’ 2027 fifth-round pick.
Smith is coming off the best season of his career, logging 88 catches on 111 targets for 884 yards and eight touchdowns — all career-best numbers. Seven of his eight scores came in Miami’s final eight games of the year.
Adding Smith bolsters Pittsburgh’s group of pass-catchers, which added All-Pro wideout DK Metcalf but lost 1,100-yard receiver George Pickens, who was traded to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason.
Metcalf, a two-time Pro Bowler, is coming off a disappointing 66-catch, 992-yard season last year, though he did miss two games due to injury. He had 1,000 or more yards in three of his previous four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, including back-to-back years with 10 or more touchdowns in 2020 and 2021.
Pittsburgh now has arguably the best 1-2 punch at tight end in the NFL in Smith and Penn State alum Pat Friermuth. The latter, a former second-round pick, has posted 60 or more receptions and 497 yards receiving in three of his four NFL seasons.
Like Smith, Friermuth is coming off a career year, in which he caught 65 passes for 653 yards and seven touchdowns.
Doubling up on tight ends is a curious play by Pittsburgh considering Rodgers is among the league’s lowest in targeting that position — roughly 20% of his passes go to TEs, sixth-lowest among active QBs, according to Sports Illustrated.
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