Patriots Make a Surprise Move, Trade Jonnu Smith to Falcons
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Posted Under: 2023 Patriots Offseason
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With less than an hour before the legal tampering period begins, the Patriots have already made a surprise move this morning.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the New England Patriots are sending tight end Jonnu Smith to the Falcons in a trade that creates cap space heading into free agency.
New England will reportedly receive a 7th-round pick in the deal, which essentially allows them to unload his salary.
Smith hasn’t lived up to the four-year, $50 million deal he signed prior to the 2021 season, which saw him catch just 28 passes for 294 yards and a touchdown in 2021, along with 27 passes for 245 yards and no touchdowns last season.
Looking at his cap hit, according to Spotrac, Smith was set to carry a nearly $11 million cap number heading into the 2023 season. According to Patriots Cap expert, Miguel Benzan, the deal frees up almost $4 million in space, which allows New England to clear some room for whatever moves they have planned in the coming days.
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A welcome surprise. An athlete who couldn’t play football. Good trade despite the dead money. Thank the Falcons for this. Time to draft a good TE and maybe sign another as a free agent at a reasonable cost.