Terry Fontenot hasn’t been perfect in the NFL draft, but what GM is? The Falcons have done well, to a certain extent, but Fontenot has excelled on the pro personnel side of things.
From a dollars and cents perspective, the Falcons have spent wisely. The big ticket free agents have worked out, and that might be an understatement. Kaden Elliss and David Onyemata have been instrumental in Atlanta’s defensive turnaround.
Jessie Bates, who was handed the largest free agent contract of the new regime’s tenure, has been the best safety in football and should garner Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
Even more so, it’s the smaller moves that have had profound impacts. Cordarrelle Patterson hasn’t been as involved this season but put up career numbers in 2021 and 2022. This offseason, the Falcons traded for Jonnu Smith, who wasn’t quite living up to the contract he signed with the Patriots.
Once in Atlanta, Smith agreed to restructure his deal. Now, paired with his former offensive coordinator, the veteran tight end has experienced a career resurgence under Arthur Smith.
With two games left in the 2023 campaign, Jonnu Smith has posted career-highs in yards (553) and receptions (47). To say the acquisition has worked out would be an understatement.
Bill Barnwell of ESPNÂ included Jonnu Smith in his piece on the best bargain contracts of the 2023 season.
Jonnu Smith, Falcons
Contract: Two years, $10 million
Smith is making $3.5 million this year as part of a restructured contract after being traded to the Falcons for the 245th pick in April’s draft. The Patriots signed Smith to a massive deal in 2021 after Bill Belichick had previously talked him up as the best yards-after-catch tight end in football, then barely used him in the passing attack, with Smith running about 10 routes per game. He had just 539 receiving yards over two seasons before being dumped on the Falcons.
While his success often has come at the expense of Kyle Pitts, Smith has been a useful cog in an oft-frustrating Falcons offense. He has caught 47 passes for 553 yards, topping his two-season total with the Pats before even finishing the 2023 campaign. The veteran is averaging nearly 9.0 yards per target and 1.9 yards per route run, with the latter figure ranking seventh among tight ends. Plus, he can block! I wouldn’t want to build the entire offense around him, but as a big-play target off of leak and play-action concepts, Smith has been a valuable contributor.
Jonnu Smith has been an instrumental piece in the few successful offensive performances of the 2023 season, and he’s under contract for 2024 as well. This is another great move by Falcons GM Terry Fontenot.
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