After sending Jonnu Smith to the Steelers this morning, the Dolphins are exploring a trade for a new tight end with multiple teams, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The team is also interested in adding help at cornerback after parting ways with Jalen Ramsey in the same deal, per Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald.
Smith was not only Miami’s starting tight end in 2024; he led the team in receptions and receiving touchdowns with 884 receiving yards that trailed only Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins will be expecting bounce-back years from Hill and Jaylen Waddle to boost their passing offense, but Smith’s departure leaves the tight end room without a clear starter.
Currently, their most experienced player at the position is veteran Pharaoh Brown, who has started 18 games in the last two years (and a total of 54 in his seven-year career), but topped 200 receiving yards in a season just once. 2023 undrafted free agent Julian Hill has carved out a robust snap share as a blocking tight end, but he only has 18 career catches for 148 yards. Rounding out the group are Hayden Rucci, Tanner Conner, and undrafted rookie Jalin Conyers, none of whom have proven themselves in the NFL.
As a result, the Dolphins are looking elsewhere to bolster their tight end group, with Raiders tight end Michael Mayer named as an early potential target. The 2023 No. 35 pick is a player that “Miami has had their eye on…for a while,” according to Kelly, who noted that Mayer had “some on and off-field challenges” in his first two years in Las Vegas. He has missed nine games since being drafted with an average of fewer than 20 yards per game.
However, the Raiders have “no interest” in moving Mayer, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, with a major role expected for him this season. Despite the addition of Brock Bowers last offseason, Mayer maintained a 63% snap share as the team’s’ inline tight end when healthy with Bowers spending a majority of his time in the slot.
If Mayer is unavailable, another tight end to monitor is Kyle Pitts, according to ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. He drew trade interest earlier this offseason that was not rebuffed by the Falcons, indicating their potential willingness to part ways with the former No. 4 pick.
No details have emerged regarding the Dolphins’ pursuit of cornerback help, though the team has been in touch with multiple available veterans this offseason. The free agent pool is deeper at cornerback than it is at tight end, so the Dolphins may prioritize the latter position in a trade and use their newfound cap space to add a corner.