NFL Rumors: Steelers releasing Jonnu Smith in $7 million cap-saving move ahead of free agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers are making a firm roster call before free agency. As part of the latest NFL rumors cycle, the Steelers are releasing tight end Jonnu Smith in a move that frees up roughly $7 million in cap space. The decision sharpens the team’s financial flexibility and clears up a crowded tight end room that never quite found balance last season.

Cap-saving move around Jonnu Smith signals Steelers’ long-term trust in Pat Freiermuth

The Steelers' Jonnu Smith chapter ends after one uneven year in Pittsburgh. Acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins that also involved Minkah Fitzpatrick and Jalen Ramsey, Smith arrived with real expectations. He had just delivered a Pro Bowl season in Miami, posting 88 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns in Mike McDaniel’s offense.

That version of Smith never surfaced in a Steelers uniform. He finished with 38 receptions for 222 yards and two TDs. The production dip stood out, but context matters. Pittsburgh stacked the room with Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward already on the roster. Two of the league’s higher-paid tight ends sharing snaps created overlap rather than impact.



Freiermuth felt that squeeze. After signing a four-year, $48.4 million extension, he saw his snap share drop to 51 per cent, the lowest of his career. His numbers dipped to 486 yards and four scores. For a player the franchise views as a cornerstone, that usage did not match the investment.

Now the direction looks clearer. With Mike McCarthy taking over and installing a system that leans heavily on three-wide receiver sets, the need for dual-feature tight ends faded. The Pittsburgh Steelers had the cap space to carry both contracts, but structurally, it made little sense. Rival teams reportedly viewed the Steelers as having a surplus at the position, with some even checking on Freiermuth’s availability. Pittsburgh’s response came through action, not talk.

By cutting Jonnu Smith, the Pittsburgh Steelers reaffirmed their commitment to Freiermuth as the primary tight end in this offense. Washington enters the final stretch of his rookie deal, and Heyward faces free agency. The room now has hierarchy instead of congestion. This move justifies the headline. It saves $7 million. It clarifies roles. And it positions the Steelers to attack free agency with cleaner books and a defined offensive identity.




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