Report: Jonnu Smith Traded to Falcons from Patriots to Join Kyle Pitts; Caught 1 TD

The New England Patriots have reportedly traded tight end Jonnu Smith to the Atlanta Falcons for a seventh-round pick, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Smith's two season in New England were fairly uneventful, as he caught just 55 passes for 539 yards and one touchdown in 30 games.

After spending his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, catching 16 touchdown passes in that time, Smith signed a four-year, $50 million deal with the Patriots. It wasn't a deal that worked out particularly well for either side.

It is a somewhat curious trade for the Falcons, however, given the presence of young tight end Kyle Pitts. While the 22-year-old hasn't fully lived up to the expectations that come with being the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, he still caught 68 passes for 1,026 yards and a touchdown as a rookie.

He had a more disappointing sophomore campaign, reeling in just 28 catches for 356 yards and two scores in 10 games. A torn MCL cut his season short.

The team's quarterback play didn't exactly do him any favors, as neither Marcus Mariota nor rookie Desmond Ridder was particularly effective. He'll be expected to be a far higher priority in the passing game going forward.

Because Pitts is athletic and talented enough to essentially play wide receiver, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Falcons use a number of two-TE sets to get both Pitts and Smith on the field together. Pitts is capable of lining up on the outside and creating mismatches, allowing Smith to be more of an in-line option.

Add in Drake London on the outside, and the Falcons are going to have plenty of options in the passing game for whoever ends up winning the quarterback job.