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Many expect the New England Patriots‘ Jonnu Smith to have a rebound year in 2022. After his disappointing first season with the Patriots in 2021, it’s hard to imagine him being less of a factor–unless he gets injured.
Even with those expectations and some votes of confidence from head coach Bill Belichick, it still appears Smith is being positioned as a future trade target by the organization. To put it plainly, Smith’s days in New England could be numbered no matter how good of a season he has in 2022.
The Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard says the Patriots will have to trade Smith based on the stress he’ll put on the team’s salary cap situation over the next two years. The Patriots converted a chunk of Smith’s salary to a signing bonus last week to create some breathing room for his year, but in doing so, made Smith the most expensive player currently under contract for 2023 and 2024.
“Jonnu Smith’s restructure had nothing to do with him or how Belichick feels about this team,” Bedard wrote. “If the Patriots believed in Smith, they would have extended his deal to smooth out the possible cap hits. They didn’t do that. And we all knew, going back to the offseason, that the Patriots would have to do something major to someone’s contract just to make ends meet by the end of the season.”
As it turned out, that “someone” turned out to be Smith. The 27-year-old signed a 4-year, $50 million deal ahead of the 2021 season but was one of the most disappointing free-agent signings by any team in the NFL last season.
Smith only managed 28 receptions, 294 yards, and a TD last season.
“Smith now has the highest cap number on the team in 2023 ($17.4 million) and 2024 ($18.4 million),” Bedard wrote. “To get out from under that, they will need to trade him. Unless he has a huge rebound year, they are going to be in the situation as they were with Isaiah Wynn — no one wants that contract for an average player.”
“Average” is a harsh term for any athlete, but it’s fitting based on Smith’s minimal impact on the field last season. That said, Smith could be set to produce a season in 2022 that is more in line with what was expected of him in 2021.
The Naked Bootleg Could Be a Key Call for Jonnu Smith, Says Bedard
The Patriots’ offense under Josh McDaniels was known for its complexity. McDaniels has carried that concept to his head-coaching gig with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Things will be a little different in this year’s Patriots attack, which appears to be led by a committee of three (Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, and Belichick). Simplifying a few concepts might aid Smith in establishing some chemistry with second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
Bedard called out the “naked bootleg” as a play that could prove to be one of the more effective with Smith and Jones.
Essentially, a naked bootleg is a designed rollout by the QB to the right or left that sees him leave the protection of the offensive line. It runs in the opposite direction of the O-Line’s push to create some deception for the defense.
This is a perfect opportunity for a more mobile QB to run for yards–especially in the red zone or inside the 10-yard line. However, the more slow-footed Jones will be more effective with this look if he has a speedy pass-catcher who can play on the same side of the field, starting from the backfield or just off the line of scrimmage.
Because of his speed and athleticism, Smith is a great candidate for this role, and it appears the Patriots have flashed glimpses of this look in training camp.
Health Will Be the Biggest Factor in Jonnu Smith’s 2022 Season
While scheme and concept are obviously a factor with any player in the NFL, health is the biggest prerequisite. Smith only missed one game in 2021, but he was a constant on the injury report. Per Pro Football Reference, Smith was questionable or worse for 5 of New England’s games.
If Smith is going to have his best season, he’ll need to be healthy more often.
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