Their last attempt to roll with a Pro-Bowl level tight end didn’t go well when Darren Waller lasted just one season before abruptly retiring, but that shouldn’t deter the New York Giants from another trade for a marquee player to upgrade a position currently headlined by disappointing Daniel Bellinger.
The latter has been beset by injuries and inconsistency since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft. Those problems also hampered last year’s fourth-rounder Theo Johnson.
He’s still considered a realistic breakout candidate, but that’s only conjecture. Unlike a trade for Jonnu Smith, who broke out with a Pro Bowl campaign for the Miami Dolphins in 2024.
It’s an idea from Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports, who explained why the Giants need Smith, no matter who plays quarterback this season.
Giants QBs Need Jonnu Smith
The Giants are turning the QB reins over to 10-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson, but 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart is waiting in the wings. There could even be room for strong-armed veteran backup Jameis Winston.
It’s a crowded room, but “no matter if it’s Wilson or eventually Dart under center, it’d behoove the Giants to give either quarterback a capable tight end as the security blanket,” according to Sullivan.
Finding one of those makes sense given Wilson’s career-long habit of targeting tight ends. The Giants can’t indulge their QB1’s preference without a more versatile playmaker at the position.
There isn’t one when, as Sullivan pointed out, “currently, 2024 fourth-round pick Theo Johnson is atop the depth chart, and while he had his moments during his rookie season, he’s hardly a guarantee to anchor the position group. If he is able to keep up his production from last season, it wouldn’t be that shocking to see Smith come in and compete for the second-most targets on the team behind ascending star receiver Malik Nabers.”
This is a strong argument for trading for Smith, who was dynamic for the Dolphins last season. The 29-year-old consistently turned many of his career-high 88 receptions into yards after the catch.
Smith averaged 5.8 yards after catch per reception, per Pro Football Reference. He also broke eight tackles, the second-most in a single season during his career.
One of his best plays was this 33-yard catch and run for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10.
Jonnu Smith’s BIG 33-yard reception set up the TD 💪
📺: #MIAvsLAR on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+
One of the more telling aspects of the play was how Smith began it flexed into the slot. He has wide receiver-type skills in a tight end’s body, so the 6-foot-3, 248-pounder can be aligned anywhere across formations.
Smith showed off his range by playing 227 snaps in the slot last season, according to Player Profiler. He’s already the capable, roving target Bellinger and Johnson have yet to become.
Giants Still Waiting for More From Daniel Bellinger
Bellinger’s roster spot is in jeopardy because he hasn’t established himself as a credible receiver, nor as a capable blocker. Injuries have contributed to his struggles, with an eye problem requiring surgery during his rookie year.
The deeper problem is Bellinger simply hasn’t made the grade when he’s been on the field. His target share and catch tally has decreased every year, with the 24-year-old grabbing a mere 14 catches from 17 targets last season.
Having Johnson, veterans Greg Dulcich and Chris Manhertz and brittle but exciting rookie, 2025 seventh-rounder Thomas Fidone II, on the roster makes Bellinger expendable. Even if he is the odd man out, the Giants would still have room for a regular chain-mover with the big-play talents of Smith.
He wants a new deal before free agency in 2026, more than the $3.49 million he earned last year, per Spotrac.com. It would be a tight fit for a Giants team with only $4,324,717 of space under the salary cap, but general manager Joe Schoen ought to find a way to acquire a superior athlete to anybody the Giants have on the depth chart.
